JULY 30, 1 Corinthians 16:13

What does today’s text mean? What is the meaning of “watch and stand fast”?

To watch is to be alert and really, just to be as careful and wary as a watchman or guard should be. In our country, soldiers or policemen will guard important locations: homes of senior government officials, army camps, banks and etc. These guards are to be watchful, always alert, constantly looking out for how best to protect the precious assets they guard from enemies or harm. How about “stand fast”? The imagery is quite the same: think of a solider who is on guard and who is constantly ready to act. Would you see him standing and alert, or lying on the floor and relaxing?

So what does Paul mean when he tells the Corinthian Christians to “watch”? It is for them to be alert against any attack from Satan and his evil tricks. We are to be watchful as we are naturally not. Most of us are weak and unable to keep being watchful. Just like the disciples whom the Lord Jesus commanded to watch and pray but instead fell asleep (Matthew 26: 41-43). And what does Paul mean when he tells us to “stand fast”? We are to be constantly prepared. And the idea is to be standing fast in the Christian faith, not in any personal thinking, or views of others, or what friends tell you to.

Sometimes, we are influenced by our friends or the TV or music we hear, and we stand fast in these much less trustworthy things, instead of standing fast in the faith!

How do we become watchful and stand fast? We’ve got to go back to the Book of the Faith – and that is the Bible. How important it is to keep at reading your Junior RPG and bible passages during your daily quiet time!

Thought: How do I become watchful and stand fast?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me to be a faithful soldier and to watch and stand fast. It’s not easy, but Heavenly Father, please do help me. This I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.