Wha’d'ya say we just don’t address the fact that these Reality Bytes have become incredibly irregular? (Although, it should be said that it’s probably better for everyone involved if I spare you random ramblings, and reserve the bytes for sensical speech, eh?) But ’nuff said. We won’t address it.

So, Friday night’s talk got the ol’ brain thinkin’ (uh, note: that’d be MY brain I’m referring to. But it’s okay if your’s had a similar experience.) The topic was a passage in I Samual(?) about some of David and his “mighty men’s” exploits. The details are sorta blurry, but that’s the whole point, here. As Steve read and wanted us to listen closely and give feedback, I was…thinking about those youth room walls. They are REALLY blue, eh? Vivid; pretty amazing. Then, I realized I wasn’t listened and tried to focus. (Sorry. Don’t worry, this won’t ALL be a play-by-play of my thought processes. Mostly.) Anyway, it was still really hard to pay attention. So, I became distracted with thinking about why I was distracted. And I figured it out: it seemed like the topic was such a GUY thing. Combat. Battle. Etc. And then Steve asked if anyone sort of wished they were back in those battle times, and (suprise!) every male hand in the room shot up. So, it seems guys and girls alike don’t really feel like the whole battle-thing applies to this day and age.

And then…I had…a thought(!): I really should pay attention because: WE ARE IN A BATTLE. Not against flesh and blood, but against darkness. You’ve heard this before, eh? But think about it: how do you fight an invisible battle? See, the tricky thing is, with invisible battles, you can always forget they’re going on–even when you’re in the middle of it. You know the saying? (I’ll misqoute horribly) “The greatest feat the Devil can pull is convincing people he doesn’t exist.”

This passage says a lot, when it comes to invisible-battle tactics: ”

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:3-5)

I know there are other passages like this, but this really emphasizes the inner strength, perseverence and dedication that goes into spiritual battle. Taking every thought “captive…to make it obedient to Christ” does NOT sound easy. This is every bit as challenging as a physical battle, it’s just that the effort is spiritual instead of physical running and hitting and… other fight-y tasks. But still gruelling. And yet it’s so easy to live like this is a “fight when you feel like it battle.” So maybe it’s worth taking a look at how David fought, and learning some things about physical combat that apply to this spiritual battle. And then… there’s always Paul (you know? New Testament Paul? He’s got lots to say, too.)

Well, there’s your byte for this time! I hope it tastes like reality (cuz this time it’s not byting YOU, you’re byting IT. I know. It keeps changing. I’ll work on that…)