War is hell!
H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 18
That has often been stated in view of the terror and suffering that takes place during armed conflicts between hostile nations. I think all of us have been upset and angered and frightened by the recent events in our world dealing with terrorist threats. It was very disturbing to me to hear that a Muslim American in the U.S. army tossed hand grenades into the tents of other sleeping American soldiers because he disapproved of the war. And then to hear the stories of American POWs possibly being tortured and executed. War is hell! Of course, we know that it’s not true. Not really.There is something so much worse than even modern warfare. Jesus once said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). This is not intended to minimize the tremendous pain and sacrifices that have recently been made in the Persian Gulf. Not at all. It is only meant to emphasize the
even greater sorrow of being eternally alienated from God. A point that Jesus felt it was important to make. There is deep anguish over the loss of life associated with our conflict with Iraq.The bombs.The fires.The blood that is spilled. Who can take it in? But truthfully, the most horrifying sufferings on earth are really only a sip of what it means to be eternally separated from our Creator in hell. It is a fact. It’s also a fact that the most dizzying and blissful happiness of this world is only a sip of the joys of heaven. One of the good things that can come from our hellish experiences here and now is that they can remind us not to expect too much from life in this world.This world can never be made into a paradise. Our hope is firmly set on the world to come. Not long ago, I saw a re-run of an old interview with a famous Hollywood actress in which she explained her view of the meaning of life. She said that she genuinely wants to make this world a better place so that when she lies on her deathbed, she can look back at her life and know that it all meant something.
