Soldiers are brave and relatively happy in times of peace. In fact, the military becomes a viable career option when training dominates and clean cool guns feel fulfilling to the touch. When the horrible ugliness of war strikes, suddenly every soldier must face the awful beast…fear. I have never been a soldier, but I have read and have been told that you do not know how you will react to the heat of battle until you face it. For some, fear is mastered and it serves to fuel feats of heroism. For others, fear consumes and retreat from the battle becomes the all consuming passion. Throughout all of history the soldiers of Jesus have faced the same challenge, and once again, the battle begins to rage in our lifetime, in this place. How do I live in times like these?
In times of peace and prosperity the untried Christian is brave and happy, even willing to confront certain political outrages in our culture. But, in these challenging days it is troubling to observe some Christ followers pull back into isolationism not only from the world, but strangely enough from the church, the very “band of brothers” that is most needed in times like these. At the core of this retreat is fear and fear spreads like a virus; it erodes the core of one’s identity, causing one to despise the man in the mirror.
We have been given a command to go and make disciples, yet we have retreated mistaking the cultural war to maintain the American dream as our calling.
We have drawn the lines of battle with un-retractable words walling the world out, drowning out the cries for help with our celebratory introspection (worship that make us feel good).
We have withdrawn our most prized possessions from the fray leaving Jesus, once again, alone with the sinners while we point accusing fingers at the weak.
And now that we see the cultural war being lost the very foundation of our American faith is being shaken.
Some are running from the fray and that fear can become infectious.
What should we do? The timeless Word of The Almighty God speaks to this issue...
2 Peter 3:8-14 (NIV)
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.a 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.b That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
a Some manuscripts
be burned up b Or
as you wait eagerly for the day of God to come
