Rhema Words: Luchar

Sunday, August 14, 2011 Posted by Debbie Legg

A couple of weeks ago I was having a wonderful lunch with my fabulous friends Anna and Lisa. Lisa is Paraguayan, and is as full of passion as anyone I know. She relayed a story to us about trying to explain the word luchar (loo-CHAR) to her husband, who is, let’s say, less Paraguayan. The word literally translates, “to fight,” but the meaning is so much more. It’s fighting with passion, with ferocity, with power and strength, with every fiber or your being, to win at all costs, to the death. Think epic battle. Think Braveheart. Think Lord of the Rings. As Lisa would love to point out, think World Cup Soccer (Go! Go! Go!). ;)

Unexpectedly for me, instead of yelling, luchar whispers. “luchar… luchar…” I hear it in my heart. I would expect it to command, to charge. Instead it soothes, gently summoning me, an echo from another world.

The greatest battles we face in life are fought at the level of our souls, our hearts, our minds and wills. These are the epic struggles the world never sees, of allegiances to addictions, to distractions, to lies we have always believed true, to whatever we mistakenly hope will comfort us and bring life.

Each battle has its own tactics and strategy. Sometimes it’s just you and God against the world, the flesh, the Enemy. Sometimes great armies of prayer warriors are needed to ensure victory.

Sometimes standing still and listening to the whisper is as much luchar as brandishing a sword.