“Life is a mess.”
“Things are spiraling out of control.”
“We’re at our wit’s end.”
“Nothing we’ve tried seems to work.”

These are phrases we use when life becomes unmanageable. But we don’t usually express them as a nation, or worse, as a global population.

Things got bad.

We fight a pandemic. Its reach continues to haunt. We might hear the curve is flattening or trending toward healthy communities, but it doesn’t seem that way. We’re in this fight for a while.

Racial injustice violates our screens and holds captive the tears and fears of all colors. We say enough is enough, yet it’s still not enough. We’re still at odds. It’s still us and them. We still perpetrate our agendas within our circles, our communities, and our societal systems.

This is a letter to all of us who carry the banner of Jesus Christ. While we are eager for a new “normal,” have we spent enough time considering how God may be shaking us up for His greater purposes?

Let’s reflect before we charge forward to change whatever it is that we’re sure is God’s choice amid these nationwide and worldwide issues.

I’ve been a Christian for almost 40 years and I’ve served God in various capacities and ministries for all of those years. I have pushed for what I thought was right – for what I thought God wanted to be done. I have often been wrong.

I’ve been learning that,
even when I’m sure I’m right,
I need correction.

When a Samaritan village refused to welcome Jesus for the night, James and John wanted to “call down fire from heaven to destroy them.” They were convinced that the Samaritans needed to be punished. In fact, they were so sure of this that they asked Jesus to just say the word. “But Jesus turned and rebuked them.” (See Luke 9:51-56)

James and John were livid, but being passionate about something doesn’t make it right. Paul was extremely passionate, but he fought against God’s people (Acts 26:9-11).

Satan is passionate, too. His passion led to all-out war and the war is not over. We know he will eventually lose, but he will win many, many battles along the way.

Satan waged war against Jesus and those who follow Him. (See Revelations 12.) He is passionate about dismantling the gospel and he has lots of fire power. He has an arsenal of biological weapons, injustice, racial tension, politics, authorities and leaders who make mistakes, and so many other deep-seeded issues that we respond to with anger, fear, frustration, pride, and various other emotions. Satan’s cunning traps incite our survival instincts and we feel like we’re fighting a physical, human battle, but we really war against “the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

Our feelings can mislead us.

We’re in a spiritual battle.
We always have been.
And the gospel is at stake.

Satan fights against the gospel: the truth about Jesus and eternal life that everyone needs to hear. Everyone needs to hear about God’s simple, uncluttered gift of truth, life, and relationship.

Do we fight for the gospel or for something else? 

What we do next matters. It could make the difference between life and death for some people because we may be the closest image of the gospel they encounter. We need to be sure the gospel is clearly represented by our words and actions.

So, let’s look back. Did the last 4+ months just happen, or did God intentionally shake the ground on which we stand? Did He scramble the letters to renew our vision for the gospel? Here are a few things that happened and how some of us responded with maturity. But does God want more?

• The walls we call home for our families grew thick and restrictive. We sheltered. We learned how to manage our physical and emotional well-being without stepping beyond the front door. We figured out how to live with and nurture our families.

• We distanced ourselves from just about everyone except for our households. We focused on those who are most important. For some of us, our households are very small – maybe just one person. We had time to reflect on what’s really important for today and the future.
• We recoiled at the invasion of a predator we can’t see – a virus. But many of us learned how to respect others and be more kind to them. We learned how to share space, even when opportunities to do so were few. We learned how to make sacrifices for the benefit of others.
• The pulpits of our local churches moved onto our screens. We were forced to consider how true our relationships are with our God, and our spiritual lives were strengthened. We took the initiative to read God’s Word and to assure our online fellowship for our families. We prayed more. We had the opportunity to consider what matters to us in a home church and to visit other pulpits, albeit virtual. We focused on heart matters.
• Racism and racial injustice got exposed more vividly and remain unsettled in our hearts. But we understand more about racial tension and systemic issues that feed it. We grew in our care toward people, regardless of color. We lifted our voices to motivate change.

What are our next steps? Does God want more? Why did He shake things up?* What has He been telling us for almost half a year? Let’s reflect as individuals and as organized bodies of people and believers. Let’s search our hearts and ask God to either direct our next steps or to confirm them.

Maybe some of these questions will help:

• How have the issues you faced during these past months prompted you to make adjustments for God – in attitudes and actions?
• Have the unique opportunities of the past months urged you to make some bold changes in your spiritual life?
• Can you look a little deeper into the eyes and hearts of those who are different than you? And can you respond with the care and love God wants you to express?
• Are there parts of your life that you struggle to give up for the sake of others and the gospel, and to become better at what God wants you to do?
• What drives your agendas? Does it expand the reach of the gospel?
• What is God calling you to do today that you haven’t yet started doing?
• And to the local church: In what ways do you need to refocus on God’s purpose and adjust your activities and objectives accordingly? Is your message tainted by the prevailing issues of this world, or does it reflect the truth and priorities of God’s Word?

It’s true: We are one human race; there are systemic problems in our cultures; we aren’t doing a good job in defeating the coronavirus; and we are in this together. But there is an even greater battle. A spiritual battle. We must uphold and defend the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is what it means to raise His banner high. This is what God wants.

Further reading: Revelations 2:1-7 and Ephesians6:10-20

Related blog posts:
Jesus Died on the Cross. It Matters.
We Thrive with Jesus
Authenticity and the Identity Thieves (2 parts)
Goliath!
I’m Boiling. May I Erupt?
Do We Appreciate the Many Colors?

*God is in control and nothing happens, not even wickedness, that is not subject to His authority (Proverbs 16:4 and 1 Kings 12, especially verse 24).

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If you want to understand the true, uncluttered gospel and how to have a relationship with Jesus, please email me at authordlv@att.net. He died so we can live.

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