Victory, Or Death

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  1 Corinthians 15:58

          Folks, I am a native Texan.  I take pride in my heritage and the history of my home state.  One hundred and eighty-one years ago, a man had to make what history might say as the most important decision of his life, in the most desperate of situations.

          At the age of 26, Lt. Col. William Barret Travis, commander of the Texians regular army, was in the direst situation of his life and command.  For twelve days, approximately 189 men defended the Alamo mission, holding back General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s forces, numbering in the thousands.  Already having received word that reinforcements would not arrive before the remainder of Santa Anna’s army would enter San Antonio de Bexar, Travis knew to stay and fight would carry a death sentence.  The Alamo would fall once an all-out attack began.  It was just a matter of how long his men could resist.

          The young Travis stood before a group that was already feeling exhausted from days of artillery bombardments and skirmishes, tests of strength by the enemy force.  Travis explained the situation to his men.  Stating that he would stay, defend, and even die, if necessary, he was not going to abandon his post.  He offered each one of them a chance to stay or leave.  Only one man chose not to stay.  The rest were committed to the cause of defending the Alamo, and Texas; even if it meant to only slow down the Mexican forces. 

          Will Travis had no delusions of grandeur.  He knew that each one of their days were numbered.  However, the General of the Texas army, Sam Houston, tasked Travis with one job: buy me some time to get in shape to fight Santa Anna.  Houston was still in the process of raising an army that would hopefully stop Santa Anna’s campaign and dictatorship over Texas once and for all.  He needed more time.  Travis vowed to do all he could to buy Houston every minute possible.

          As Christians, we are faced with times that just seem hopeless.  You feel outnumbered and under supported.  No reinforcements are anywhere to be found.  James 1:12 reminds us that those who persevere are blessed, being recipients of the crown of life.  Revelation, chapter 3 assures us that those who persevere will be spared from the hour of trial.  God expects us to individually make the choice to stand up for what is spiritually right.  He doesn’t promise that others will rush to your side.  He doesn’t set a condition of standing up only if others will stand with you.  Like Travis, we should be committed to say, “I will stand my ground to the last”, even if it means standing alone.  That sort of devotion to God will, at some point in time, inspire others to do the same.  Without it, we cannot hope to win the spiritual war.