Living Trophies

When I was in my early 30s, my friend and I signed up for a tae kwon do class. Little did we know how much we would enjoy it, and also be extremely challenged by it, and grow in confidence and in skills we did not realize we had. As the only two females in the class, we made every effort to keep up with the guys and were successful. Plus, we were two of the oldest members, which presented its own challenges. Yet, despite these and other ‘handicaps’, we worked very hard to accomplish our goals of reaching the black belt level. Part of the opportunities along the way included entering tournaments where we competed in forms and sparring contests. I am pleased to say that most times we took home trophies and medals – testaments to our hard, focused training and discipline.

In an excerpt from our dear brother Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest, regarding the cross in prayer, he notes that the true meaning of the ‘cross’ – what it truly represents – is  ‘complete, entire, absolute identification with the Lord Jesus Christ— and there is nothing in which this identification is more real to us than in prayer.’ He goes on to relate that ‘our spiritual irritation [with what we sense as unanswered prayer] shows our refusal to identify ourselves truly with our Lord in prayer. We are not here to prove that God answers prayer, but to be living trophies of God’s grace.’ [emphasis added]

We who are saved through the blood of Jesus on the cross, and in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, are beholden to God to yield ourselves fully, to allow Jesus’ life to be lived through us, to be walking Gospels (Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 9:23). To be truly united to and in union with Christ – being in Christ – is living yielded (a life-long disciplined journey), focusing on the cross and He who placed Christ on it (Hebrews 12:1-2), joining in prayer with Christ to the Father (John 16:26-27), growing in an intimate relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Galatians2:20), learning how to identify His voice and promptings. 

When we strive to do so, when our wills submit to God’s will for us (Luke 22:42; Philippians 2:5-8), we become living trophies of grace that God can use to show the world His love, His offer of forgiveness through the acceptance of the sacrifice of Christ for us, His holiness, all of which reflect His Grace and mercy. As living trophies, we are God's handiwork, His evidence of His salvific work in us, and His visible prize to a world that is in desperate need of God. (compare 1 Corinthians 9:24; Philippians 3:14; 2 Corinthians 3:1-3) 

The trophies and rewards I won during my years in martial arts are packed away somewhere or hanging out of the way - I'd need to give locating most of them a lot of thought. I don't wear them or display them as part of my day-in day-out attire - unless I tell someone I am a black belt it is a secret. As living trophies of an Almighty God, our presence and interaction with others speaks in volumes,  As Paul wrote the Corinthians (recorded in the second letter, chapter 3), let this be true of our trophy ministry: "You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

We are compelled, then, to ask ourselves, do others see us as God’s trophies of grace? Take it to the Lord in prayer!