Gò0dNews for Everyone
Hostile Territory
W
by Eddie Turner
e live in a world of continually increasing darkness.
darkness and allow fear to mask our awareness that we are
With the details of this darkness broadcasted on
lights of this world—moving about amidst armies of angels
our TVs and on our phones within our homes, it
who radiate God’s glory and who intercede on our behalf. God
is only fitting that we carry a sense of fear as we venture out
Himself is also present within us as we approach life’s valleys
each day. We watch as our fellow citizens mimic the Pharisees’
that appear shrouded by the shadow of death. It is when we fail
shouts for Jesus to be crucified when they read a tweet by a
to recognize what is going on behind the scenes that we allow
public figure whose words are stripped from their context. It
ourselves to become rattled.
is as if our culture has produced a breed of individuals who
In the Bible, Jesus tells us not to live in fear more times than
are lurking in the darkness just waiting for an opportunity to
I can count. This is extremely important for us because he knew
pounce on one another. If you are wondering whose behavior
what was coming. He knew we would question our ability to
this resembles, I’ll give you a hint. It is not Jesus. 1 Peter 5:8 Unfortunately, the evil in our world is here to stay despite the many attempts to micromanage it from existence. As much as we try to separate ourselves from this evil, many who call themselves Christian are only stirring the pot and causing the world to see followers of Christ as part of the problem. Needless to say, the burden associated with Jesus’ instruction for us to endure this life is only getting heavier. How much more are we expected to take on? If you have ever been told to read between the lines, there
endure if we allowed ourselves to be consumed by the anxieties
was likely something your attention was called to that you did
of life. In this verse from Matthew, Jesus warns how a world
not see right away. Only after taking a second look or applying
like ours today can have a tremendous impact on our hearts.
additional focus, were you able to grasp the bigger picture.
Matthew 24:12-13
In the book of 2 Kings, we read about the prophet Elisha and
As the culture around us increasingly reflects the
his servant who are being pursued by their enemies. As they
lawlessness Jesus spoke of, we must know that our survival
became surrounded, the servant began to fear for his life.
is dependent upon the condition of our hearts. There is no
“What shall we do?” he called to Elisha, who prayed for his
questioning whether we can live through this. We most
servant in response.
certainly can. But can we love through this? This is the struggle
2 Kings 6:16-17
Jesus was talking about. Can we love one another in a world
When my children were little, I often reminded them of
that ignites hatred in our hearts? Can we remain fixated on God
the presence of angels nearby whenever they could not sleep. While we could not actually see these angels, this story of
amidst the chaos? As followers of Christ who are indwelled by the strength
Elisha and his servant assures us that they are indeed present
of the one true God, we must take every measure to protect our
and in great numbers—all the time. This is our reality; a reality
hearts from growing cold and allow the love He placed within
that requires our reading between the lines to see. Instead of being
us to pour forth and light our paths through hostile territory.
blinded by the light, however, we often become blinded by the ]
As you go along, know that angels will be close by. God,
24 // July 2021
however, will be much closer.
