Are you distracted in the fight against sin? Deuteronomy 20-22

Deuteronomy 20:5-8
" The officers also shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it. Who is the man that has planted a vineyard and has not begun to use its fruit? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would begin to use its fruit. And who is the man that is engaged to a woman and has not married her? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.’ Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted? Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’"

Going to war is a difficult task, for anyone.   In this chapter, Moses repeats what God had earlier told them about the prospects of war.  The nation was about to enter into the promise land that was already possessed by several nations.   Nations we discovered earlier (from the twelve spies that went) were giants in the land.   These nations had great armies and strong fortresses.   We have to remember that this new nation consists of everyone who was under twenty-years of age during the exodus from Egypt.   They saw the miracles, but were only children.   Now they were told they were going to war and that they would have to be focused.    That is what this passage is all about.  It is about focus.    They were (according to 20:1-4) to be focused on God's sovereign control.   Yet, God, through Moses, warns them that the lack of focus on God's power is so important, that it would be better for them to not be in the fight, than to be in it and be a distraction.    Moses outlines for them the reasons they could stay home.   If they had just built a house, they could stay home.  If they just planted a vineyard, they could stay home from the fight.  If they just got married, they could stay home from the fight.    IF they were simply scared, they could stay home, less their fear became contagious like the flu.   Although the last two of these reasons for staying home sound plausible, the first two beg a question:  They haven't even secured the land yet and the war was for that purpose ... so, how would they have a house the just built and how would they have just planted a vineyard?   The implication of these "distractions" is that there would be a lengthy battle going on.  These wars were not going to be over in a weekend.   This is way Moses tells them these things.  Conquering the land would be a long process.   Just like how we have a war on sin in our lives, it does not get over quickly.  Like this nation, we are not to be distracted in our fight to defeat sin.   Our focus is to be on the sovereign control of God and His power to secure the victory.    We are not to be focused on things of this world.   We are to have an eternal focus.   Don't let the things of this world distract you from the fight at hand.   Focus on Christ's strength in you and realize the defeat of sin is our primary objective as we wait for our glorification in Christ.