THE INVINCIBLE

"He and I always felt we were invincible," a young man said with tears in his eyes as he remembered his friend who had passed away a few days prior. Apparently, since they were children, these two young men used to tell each other that they were invincible. On this day we were all sharing our memories and encouraging each other.  The parents of the young man who had passed away couldn’t find the words to speak, and just sat and listened with a broken heart. That was, without a doubt, one of the most heartbreaking days of their lives. With deep respect, since I know this couple personally, I want to reflect on the words that their son's friend said. 

To be invincible. How much we like that concept. Since before television and superhero movies existed, we have had stories and legends of people with superhuman powers, invincible heroes.

The great conquerors of ancient times felt invincible as they conquered region after region. Alexander the Great is said to have been one of the most skillful military strategists who ever lived. He conquered the Persian Empire, the eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. His empire covered some two million square kilometers on three continents. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as "ruthless, dictatorial and ambitious to the point of considering himself as divine." According to historical records, Alexander the Great never lost a single battle in his 15 years of conquests.

Was Alexander the Great invincible? Even if we win every military battle there is, there will always be a battle that we cannot win. The final battle, death. Despite all his conquests and his undeniable skill, this great conqueror died after being bitten by a malaria-infected mosquito. A mosquito! Sometimes human beings seem strong and invincible. Even so, the naked truth is that we are still fragile mortals. We don't have to go too far; the pandemic we just went through claimed the lives of more than 3 million people.

The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. Psalms 103:15-16 NIV

But there was one, and will only be one, truly invincible; one who emerged triumphant in the battle against death:

…Jesus Christ who faithfully reveals all truth to us. He was the first to rise from death, to die no more. He is far greater than any king in all the earth. All praise to him who always loves us and who set us free from our sins by pouring out his lifeblood for us. He has gathered us into his Kingdom and made us priests of God his Father. Give to him everlasting glory! He rules forever! Amen!

See! He is arriving, surrounded by clouds; and every eye shall see him—yes, and those who pierced him. And the nations will weep in sorrow and in terror when he comes. Yes! Amen! Let it be so!

“I am the A and the Z, the Beginning and the Ending of all things,” says God, who is the Lord, the All Powerful One who is, and was, and is coming again!

Revelation 1:5-8 TLB

Before he passed away, our friends' son made the best decision of all and put his complete trust in Jesus. He accepted Jesus Christ into his heart. This act of faith was the most consequential and important decision he could have made in his life, regardless of the effects his previous decisions may have had on his health. This defined his eternal destiny. Jesus shared his victory with him. Christ finally gave him what he longed and made him "more than a conqueror."

… we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come, neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 MEV

The Invincible will come again. No longer as a meek lamb, but as the victorious warrior he has always been. Let's be ready.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall be forever with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 MEV

Lord, today I put all my trust in you. I open my heart to you and give you my life. Thank you for the price you paid for my rescue. I recognize my fragility, and I am grateful that in addition to being invincible and supreme, you are also merciful; enough to rescue someone as fragile and imperfect as me. I love you Jesus and I long to see you return as the invincible King that you are.

Dedicated to Jackson Thomas Lee

3/28/96 – 10/4/24

© Astrid Gale