A Battle Bigger Than Boston 4/16/2013

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."  Eph 6:12

Today is Tuesday, April 16th, just one day after the horrific attacks on innocents during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts.  By now we have all seen the tragic images and heard the heartbreaking sounds associated with such a devastating event.  We are all wondering how and why such a thing could occur, what is happening to our world and who is responsible for such a thing.  Everyone desires that justice be done.

Beloved, I am in no better position than anyone else to explain why this and tragedies like those at New Town, Columbine, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma City, New York and so many others continue to occur except that Satan is busy.  We tend to look at the people and their motives, which we should.  We examine the differences in ideologies and beliefs between "us" and "them," which is a valid thing to do.  As children of God, however, we must not miss the fact that there is an adversary greater than any of us as individuals and a battle that has raged for longer than we have existed.  Ezekiel 28 tells the story of the king of Tyre but scholars say that it parallels the story of Satan and how he became the Enemy of God.  The point is that since that time, humanity and even the earth have become the battlefield.  Humanity was famously first used by the Serpent in the Garden of Eden, not as much to hurt mankind but to strike against God.  With spiritual understanding, the battle is apparent to this day and continues to rage.

For this reason we must "Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."  And we must also "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints," Eph 6:11; 19.  Let us pray fervently to our God, particularly on behalf of those impacted by these acts, but certainly for us all.  Come soon Lord.

Committed,

Lee