Deuteronomy 25:17-19 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁷ “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, ¹⁸ how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God. ¹⁹ Therefore when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget.

During our later days for tour of duty in Vietnam we would get replacements. They were not seasoned or conditioned to the terrain. One failed ambush led us to force march in the dark through a wet and muddy rice paddy. I was assigned rear guard. One newbie struggled in the mud, hip deep, crying and afraid. It was my responsibility to make sure no one was left behind. I was there to help and encourage him in his moment of greatest fear.

In this opening verse we might blame the faithless for not keeping up. Who had been set to help and encourage them as the enemy came to attack them?

The truth is the same now as back then. The enemy has no fear of God and will seek to devour whom he may. It is on us to help and encourage the faint of heart. We are the seasoned veterans. We have seen much during our journey and our experiences should not be forgotten. We have all struggled. How do I know that? I too have struggled and been helped when I was weak and beggarly.

Like my newbie who struggled, we will not recognize the signs by turning our back on them. We have to keep them in front of us. Be the rear guard.

Colossians 3:3 English Standard Version (ESV) For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Yesterday’s devotional ended with these words. “We have already been executed. Jeopardy is applied. We cannot be crucified afresh.” Being hidden in Christ prevents the executioner from finding us.

Do we believe that? Do we act like it is true? What does believing in this very thing do to us who are still walking around in the dust of the ground? How we receive and believe truth should make a difference in how we act. It should permeate our minds and place us in a position of security as believers in Christ.

Romans 6:3-4 English Standard Version (ESV)

³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

This death we died in Christ is a judicial declaration by God in the courts of heaven where our final resting place will be determined. We walk in newness of life her and now and that will not be taken away from us when we leave this earthly realm. Since our lives are hidden in Christ the second death cannot touch us.

Revelation 2:11 English Standard Version (ESV) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

Revelation 20:14 English Standard Version (ESV) Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Believing that we have escaped this second death should effect how we walk now in this present life. We celebrate each Easter the Cross of Christ as a reminder that He died in our place, because of our sins. That is a personal appeal to walk circumspect in this life, in Christ.