Not Safe, the World Sleeps in Peace

Terror has been my companion the nights of late. Dreams overwhelm me, and I wake up moist and cold. This fear settles into my chest as night comes and the sun is chased to another world. I dream of attack - by missals, by weather, by sword, by riffle. I dream the world changes over; no longer American bound, no longer safe and sound.

I dream the world is not safe to love Jesus. Those who do are beaten, burned, tortured, or turned from faith in their Beloved. I dream of little Caleb, to young to know, too old not to wonder, awash in a sea of death and horror and tears. The tears are mine, the rest the property of the devil.

When I wake and see the world still sleeps in peace, I lay my head down to wonder how long it will be so. I plead thank Yous to my God for this day of peace, for this night of rest, for this time of not yet. Then I start to wonder when...

How long until these dream are true? How long until the world is overturned and America is not the head, but underfoot? Not long, I dare say. Not long.

It puts a fire in me, to use a cliche phrase. The nature of these days urges me to Kingdom work. We are not primarily Americans, I preach. We are first members of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of our God. And there is so much left to do before our King returns and goes to battle. Lives to be changed and souls to be ransomed from the enemy's kingdom of darkness. How dare we leave them to the fate of captivity? How dare we leave our brothers and sisters sitting in the dirt, scrounging for food for their babies? What would the King say if, when He returns, some of us are walking barefoot to school and others are dropping out. Some of us play on the playground and some are playing war.

Let it not be so. This is our family.

So what for today, family? Where does this trip drop us off in our journey? What do I do with the dreams? What of the terror? How can we prepare for what is ahead while claiming the promise that we have not been given a Spirit of fear?

Unresolved in the mystery, resolved in the journey.

The world is not safe to love Jesus.