“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…” (2 Cor. 10:3-5)

Annette Wynne writes in her poem, “I’m Not Just February,”

I’m not just February
With winds that blow
All day, and piled-up snow;
I’m Washington and Lincoln, too,
Who kept our country’s flag for you!
I’m Valentine of airy grace—
With golden hearts and hearts of lace
And pretty cards that people send,
Quite as a secret, to a friend.
Though I am short of days and small,
I’m quite a big month, after all!

Of course, some rodent will be dragged out of his burrow tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn in a tiny town in Western Pennsylvania, not far from where I grew up. Six more weeks of winter, or an early spring? It matters little to those of us taking up residence in the Sunshine State. But this poem got me thinking about a lot more as we begin a new month.

The entire month of February will be devoted to the mission of Christ’s church – both locally and globally. One of my friends wrote a book calling missions “glocal.” Fitting, I think. We will hear from missionaries down the street and around the globe, focusing our attention on “Missions in a Digital Age.” Thus, we will have two Zoom sessions with missionaries in London and West Africa, video greetings from France and Japan, and in-person reports here at home.

We often talk of missions as soldiering for Christ, waging war in the world, etc. And war it is! But not the kind of war waged with armament and ammunition, policy or politics. No, our war is waged in two distinct manners. First, it is a war utilizing the one weapon we have against “divine power” – the Word of God. The Word alone is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe. So we take the Word to the world. The second is like it – we are the Florence Nightingales, maneuvering in hostile territories, bringing the salve of the gospel to the wounded and weary.

As Carson Robinson reminds us, “I’m in the Army Now” (1941). As we embark on this journey through the month of February, please be in prayer for the missionaries that we support; that we would be faithful to the message of Christ in the proclamation of the Gospel; and for your own heart, that God would show you tangible ways that you can serve Christ and His Kingdom across the street and around the world. Indeed, “I’m Not Just February.”