I came home to my parent's house for dinner one night and when I got there my Dad had all of his hunting rifles out and was cleaning them before he left for a hunting trip. Right then something came to me-- it is very important both for a soldier and a hunter to keep their weapons clean and in good condition. The Bible says that God is a man of war:
The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name. -Exodus 15:3
God uses us as weapons. Just like a hunter or a soldier cleaning his weapons God also cleans us from time to time, it is uncomfortable while it is taking place but we function a lot better once it is done! This is another example of the same concept where God likens us to a plant that he prunes from time to time to bear more fruit. The benefits of a hunter or a soldier cleaning his weapon are increased reliability and accuracy-- increased faithfulness in the spirit!
The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name. -Exodus 15:3
God uses us as weapons. Just like a hunter or a soldier cleaning his weapons God also cleans us from time to time, it is uncomfortable while it is taking place but we function a lot better once it is done! This is another example of the same concept where God likens us to a plant that he prunes from time to time to bear more fruit. The benefits of a hunter or a soldier cleaning his weapon are increased reliability and accuracy-- increased faithfulness in the spirit!