War (Pt. 2)

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.”  Revelation 21:2,3

Earlier in the week I lamented on my longing for an end to war.  I’ve always had a bit of a pacifist streak in me, and on rare occasion it still raises its ugly (or is it beautiful?) head.  While I quoted Isaiah 2:4, a friend of mine rightfully reminded me that Jesus said, “…you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” (visit Matthew 24:6,7)

Yep, it is in the reality we live.  My pacifist leanings will not change the actuality. But Jesus’ words do not negate Isaiah’s prophecy.  The time when people “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” is simply not here. 

Yet

But it is coming.  The passage above from John’s Apocalypse (known as Revelation) is about that time. It is known as the second coming; the second advent of Christ on earth.  Frankly, I look forward to the day and pray for it to happen.

As I see it, things are just winding down and the time is near.  I’m not predicting when, for no-one knows the time except God the Father (visit Matthew 24:36).  But I live in expectation.

Of a time. When people “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” 

Come, Lord Jesus!

War

“He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” Isaiah 2:4

Just a couple of days removed Memorial Day and this passage gets stuck in my head.  Maybe it’s just one of those passages that unveil my pacifistic leanings just a bit.  But other things come to play also. 

I think of Mary, whose funeral I officiated on Saturday.  She was a rarity.  There aren’t many female World War II veterans out there.   Now there is one less.  I think of my own father, who has been gone for almost a decade.  He also served our country in WWII in Germany. He was proud of his service.  I think of our younger son, who at age 24 has already spent nine months of his young life out in the Afghani desert.

And I wish I didn’t have to state that Mary, my father, or my son were/are veterans.  If you really think about it, war is such a waste of human lives and energy.  Lord, can’t we find something better to do with our time/energy/resources? As Edwin Star once sang, “War, huh, good God, What is it good for? Absolutely nothing….”

Mr. Starr may have sung about it, but Isaiah prophesied about such a time when people would not learn war any more.  But that time did not come in Isaiah’s stint as prophet.  It didn't come in Edwin Starr’s stint as singer. It hasn’t come in our time either.  Honestly, Sept. 11, 2001 sucked the pacifism out of my bones.  Some remnant infection remains in my marrow however.

I pray.

For the day.  When swords are beaten into plowshares; when spears are bent into pruning hooks, when nations cease to raise arms against each other, when studying peace becomes the norm. When the Prince of Peace truly reigns.

I pray.

Until then, I am thankful for Mary, my Father, and my son and the countless others who have showed far more courage than I in defending our nation.  Because of the likes of them, I can even dare put these words to paper…er...internet.

But let’s stay in prayer…..

Click here to listen to Edwin Starr's "War." 

North

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.  -Proverbs 4:18,19

As many of you know, Susie and I spent the first 19 days of May on a major trip in celebration of our 30^th anniversary.  A year late mind you, but still, the timing was right.

We visited New Zealand and Australia.  Great trip.  But the first few days in New Zealand I had a problem.   You see I’ve always had a keen sense of direction.   Rather uncannily, I can normally tell you what direction I am heading, and in particular, which way is north.  Always.

When we arrived in New Zealand, I again immediately could sense which way we were going, particularly when we were going north.  Only…to find we were actually traveling south.  And when we turned west, I knew for sure we were going…north.  And when we were moving east…I knew we were going…north.

You get the point.  For the first few days I felt lost, thrown off by the South Pole, or maybe the sinus issues that long airplane rides always deliver or maybe an aura left behind by mischievous Hobbits.  Maybe.

It’s easy to get thrown off track, to lose direction.  Scripture reminds us, however , that there is a path of righteousness that we are to follow, that there is a way provided to us by Jesus Christ.  Proverbs 4:18 relates this path to “the light of dawn,” which I am reminded, is always found in the east.  Even in New Zealand.  No matter where you are, there is only one direction to go.  And it isn’t necessarily north.

It is to Jesus.  Which direction are you traveling today?

Patience

“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.” - Job 19:25

Patience, so I read,  is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance or anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties.

As I write this, I’m almost too impatient to read that whole definition.  Such is the human condition.  So many times were we told as children, “Patience is a virtue.” Or “Rome wasn’t built in one day, you know.”

But sometimes I just want to scream out, “I don’t want virtue; I don’t care how long it took to build Rome.”  I just want what I want and I want it right now!!!!

Patience.

Job said these words so many years before  Jesus…yet Jesus is who he was speaking of.  He knew there would be a redeemer, and that someday…after much waiting…he would arrive on the earth.   Job’s patience is the stuff legends are made out of.  Mine…not so much.

Yet as I look back through my life, and see how I have grown in Christ…and realize that my timing is nothing compared to the timing of our Lord.  As Scripture tells us, “a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past” (visit Psalm 90:4)

And I’m thankful that God is so patient with me.

Slow down.  Rome wasn’t built in a day.  And God is not done with you and I yet either…

P.S. And please be patient with me.  It is likely I won't be posting much over the next couple of weeks....