God's Rescue in the End Times

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September 30, 2021

Like so many other Christians in recent times, I have been thinking more about the end times. Wading through nearly two years of this stuff has been exhausting, and there are days when I just want Jesus to come back right now and sort everything out. But when I sought comfort in the idea of being raptured out of this mess before it gets even more terrible, there was always some random internet pal to rain on my one last hope. "Nope," They'd say, "We're going to be here for all of it." 

Gee, thanks. 

It's one thing for me to envision the great tribulation as a lone, healthy adult. But I'm married, we have young kids, and I am dependent on prescription medicine in order to stay alive. So.....yeah. I can't exactly just live off the land.

But I'm also a lover of truth. Whatever gets me closer to Jesus is what I ultimately want. So is there a way for me to hope in a rescue from this world before it goes down in [even more] flames? Do we get pulled out before the Great Tribulation, during it, or afterwards?

In my Bible's introduction to the book of Revelation it says, "Revelation is written in 'apocalyptic' form - a type of Jewish literature that uses symbolic imagery to communicate hope (in the ultimate triumph of God) to those in the midst of persecution. The events are ordered according to literary, rather than strictly chronological, patterns."

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So what does that mean? It seems to suggest that we can't read it from start to finish as one would a timeline. This leads me to believe there's not much point in arguing whether this or that will come first. If the events are not listed in chronological order, what good are our arguments? The point, it appears, is to ready ourselves for whenever and whatever happens. 

But even this didn't fully answer my question. What is God's heart towards his people - what does his character throughout history reflect? It was here that I began to find answers.

First, I think "rapture" may be too strong of a word. What I found were words like deliverance, refuge, stronghold, etc. It could be that we'll be scooped up, but I just wanted to see what the Bible had to say in its own words...

(hyperlinks go to the full chapter so you can easily see the broader context)

Jeremiah 51:6

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“Flee from Babylon!
Run for your lives!
Do not be destroyed because of her sins.
It is time for the Lord’s vengeance;
he will repay her what she deserves.
Babylon was a gold cup in the Lord’s hand;
she made the whole earth drunk.
The nations drank her wine;
therefore they have now gone mad.

God specifically warns his people to get out of dodge before destruction came on Babylon. He didn't want his people to be destroyed in her punishments.

Daniel 12:1,2
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered."

Daniel is told that in the end times, there would be great trouble, but that "at that time" every believer would be delivered. What exactly does "at that time" mean? What kind of deliverance is he talking about? I don't know, but I've never heard of God partially delivering his people. He specializes in complete deliverance.

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Joel 2:32

"And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved;
for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be deliverance,
as the Lord has said,
among the survivors
whom the Lord calls."

My bible notes say, "The 'day of the Lord' is used here as God's appointed time to judge the nations...Joel had said that if the people repented, the Lord would save them from judgment (2:12-14) In this day of judgment and catastrophe, therefore, some will be saved. God's intention is not to destroy but to heal and save. However, we must accept his salvation or we will certainly perish with the unrepentant."

Joel 3:14-16

Multitudes, multitudes
    in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
    in the valley of decision.
The sun and moon will be darkened,
    and the stars no longer shine.
The Lord will roar from Zion
    and thunder from Jerusalem;
    the earth and the heavens will tremble.
But the Lord will be a refuge for his people,
    a stronghold for the people of Israel.

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Those last two lines really say it all. A refuge is a place one goes when there is danger - real danger! A stronghold is a place that the enemy cannot penetrate. It doesn't say what type of refuge God will be (spiritual only? physical rapture? etc?) but his heart is towards his people. He may harvest us all at the same time, using the same sickle, but he isn't going to throw his wheat in the fire right alongside the chaff. He will gather his wheat into his barn, so to speak.

Nahum 1:7
The Lord is good,
    a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,
8     but with an overwhelming flood
he will make an end of Nineveh;
    he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

When it's time for judgment to be carried out on a large group of people, God does not leave his children helpless.

Nahum 2:13 (maybe)
“I am against you,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke,
    and the sword will devour your young lions.
    I will leave you no prey on the earth.

This prophecy was against Nineveh. The last line caught my attention: "I will leave you no prey on the earth." What did God mean by that? Does it stand to reason that God would somehow remove his people from their powerful grasp (a relocation, rescue, or miracles, etc)? All of chapter two is helpful for understanding it in context, which is why it stood out to me in the first place. 

Zephaniah 2:3
Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
    you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
    perhaps you will be sheltered
    on the day of the Lord’s anger.

Here we see no guarantee of shelter, but we are encouraged to pray, and prodded to appeal to God because of who he is, and what he's able to do. 

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Zephaniah 3:8-13
8 Therefore wait for me,
declares the Lord,
“for the day I will stand up to testify.
I have decided to assemble the nations,
to gather the kingdoms
and to pour out my wrath on them—
all my fierce anger.
The whole world will be consumed
by the fire of my jealous anger,
9 “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush
my worshipers, my scattered people,
will bring me offerings.
11 On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame
for all the wrongs you have done to me,
because I will remove from you
your arrogant boasters.
Never again will you be haughty
on my holy hill.
12 But I will leave within you
the meek and humble,
who trust in the name of the Lord.
13 They will do no wrong;
they will tell no lies.
A deceitful tongue
will not be found in their mouths.
They will eat and lie down
and no one will make them afraid.”

This is another end times passage. At the end of verse 8 God says that, "The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger." Then skip down to verse 12 where God says, "But I will leave within you the meek and humble, who trust in the name of the Lord." So we can assume that when his 'fire' consumes the whole world, it will somehow pass over the meek and the humble who trust in his name. I checked several different translations and the word "leave" is present in each one. These are people who were there already - not saints who had died and are then inserted after evil is defeated. Somehow, God will see his remnant through. Meekness, humility, and trust hardly seem like a sufficient arsenal to survive the apocalypse, but here we see that they are the only ones who will be left. The meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5)

Zechariah 14:5-7
"And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light."

Yet another prophecy concerning end time judgment and Christ's eternal reign. My notes section says, "Only God's people will escape God's punishment (Matthew 24:16-20). In this time of confusion, God will clearly know who his people are." God is providing a path of escape for his people. Fleeing hardly sounds peaceful, but hey, I'll take it. 

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Matthew 6:13

"And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil."

Part of the prayer that Jesus gave us was a petition for deliverance from evil. If Jesus teaches us to pray this way, then there's hope that his answer will be one of deliverance.

Luke 21:36
"But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Jesus had just finished telling the disciples how to escape when they noticed Roman armies surrounding Jerusalem (v. 20-24). Because they listened to his warnings, they escaped the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Did you know that not one single Christian was killed when Jerusalem was ransacked? Jesus showed them the signs to look for, and they paid attention and escaped. After he told them what to look for to escape the judgment coming to Jerusalem, he told them what to look for to escape the judgment of the end times. Clearly, he wants us to pay attention and not miss the signs, because escape is possible!

Here's a link to an article about the Christians who escaped destruction at Jesus' warning.

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Luke 22:42
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Even Jesus himself asked his heavenly Father to spare him the suffering that was coming, but he ended with, "not my will, but yours, be done." So in that same spirit of hope, humility, and obedience we are encouraged to ask for deliverance and accept God's will, whatever that may be.

Hebrews 11:7
"It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith."

Noah was given warnings so he and his family would be completely preserved through the judgment, as was Lot and his family. 

This is my takeaway: While we are not guaranteed that we will be spared end times craziness, we are definitely encouraged to ask, seek, and pray for deliverance, to watch for the signs of Christ's return, and to be ready to act on what God tells us to do. Throughout Old Testament prophecies about the end times - and I may have missed a few - we are shown time and again that God has prepared a path through it (or out of it) for his remnant, and that his heart is to save and deliver his people. 

That's good news, my friends.

Trembling at God's Word

Charles Spurgeon once said, "Atheism is a strange thing. Even the devil's never fell into that vice, for, 'the devils also tremble and believe.'"

Isaiah 66:5 begins with, "Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word,"

James 2:19 says, "You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror."

It is better to tremble as a child of God than to tremble as a demon. But what about believers who no longer tremble at all - what can be said about them? 

Have you ever trembled at the word of God? I know we all like to go to the Bible for encouragement and peace, but when was the last time the word of God shook you to your core with holy fire? The deeper you get into the word, the deeper His word gets inside of you, and the farther out into your life that trembling will reverberate. Every facet of your life will tremble in response to God's word. 

God, wake us up from our sleep. We are like the church in Laodicea, comfortable and lukewarm (Rev. 3:14-22). Give us a hunger and thirst for you before it's too late. Help us to tremble at your word as children and not as demons, and bring back those who have drifted off into religion, but have forgotten their first love (Rev. 2:4).

Hot Cocoa for the Heart - Explaining Discipline to My Boy

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Earlier today, my oldest lost a privilege that means a lot to him. It was a direct consequence of his actions, and it was devastating for him. He cried until he was hoarse, then cried some more. We patiently assured him that it would be all right, that it was okay for him to be angry/sad/frustrated about it, and that we super duper love him. This was his biggest consequence so far, and he was just beside himself. At one point he had crawled under the dining table and was moaning painfully.

"I feel like I'm in a place that I don't know what it's called." He cried. "Like a scary castle." (He's six, so I was impressed that he was able to verbalize this feeling)
I heard him from the kitchen and my heart felt his pain. I went over and lay on the floor so I could see him. "I know what you mean, and that place does have a name." I said softly.
"Is it Home?" He asked.
"No."
"Is it Love?"
"No. It's called Discipline." I said. "And it doesn't feel very good. I know."
"What is Discipline?" He asked.
"It's something that helps to get you back on the right track."
"But I don't want to be on the right track!" He protested, tears running down his cheeks.
"It helps you get back on the right track even when you don't want it to." I said. "You know how you go bowling with Dad, and when it's his turn the gutters are clear? If his ball goes to the side, it lands in the gutter. When it's your turn, little gates pop up and make sure that your ball stays on the right track. Your actions went into the gutter, so we had to put up a gate to keep them on track."
He wasn't happy about it, but I could tell that it had helped to put a name to the dark, lonely feeling he was experiencing.
"It's a part of home, and it's a part of love, but it's called Discipline." I said.
Not much longer and he had crawled out from under the table so I could give him a hug, and then he went on a walk with his dad and little brother. I promised him some home made hot cocoa upon their return.
Discipline is never fun, but it doesn't have to be a dark, scary castle. It can be a walk through the neighborhood, a hug, and a warm mug of something that nourishes the heart (even if it doesn't go down so smoothly at first).

Cloud Mountains

11x17" watercolor. Too bad my scanner didn't pick up the purple in the sky! I painted this after watching a tutorial showing something similar. 

As a teenager I would sometimes ride my clunky vintage bike a couple of miles out of town to get away from it all. Out of my section 8 apartment complex I'd wheel, past the little old houses and then the nice old houses by the river, and then out where the grasses grow tall and golden-green and the breeze pushes a bit of warmth into one's skin. I stopped at the overpass right outside Elkhart, Indiana, and rest near the middle of the bridge with a clear view to the west. There I'd sit, perched on my bike or standing, watching the cars duck in and out beneath me, and always my gaze would fall to the horizon. The highway narrowed to a point like an arrow showing me the way. Low clouds looked became mountains, wild and adventurous - the only mountains I'd ever seen. I imagined myself driving towards them, into the unknown, and I'd sigh. 

Once or twice, a driver stopped on the bridge to check that I was okay. They were concerned that I might jump. I assured them I was fine, I just wanted to go out west. I'm grateful that they stopped, and I'll never forget that.

That dream finally became a reality in 2008, and I left home for a world I'd never seen before, to live with people I'd never met before. I had $350 dollars and an old stick-shift Dodge Stratus. I printed out my MapQuest directions and stapled them together - turn by turn - in the corner and set them beside the dusty gray driver's seat. Flip phone in my purse, and all of my belongings piled behind me, I set off one cool August morning before the sun had risen. I went with the prayers, love, and well-wishes of my family and friends, and thus began one of my most enchanting adventures. It was my home for 10 years. I found my soul mate there, and we built a family together. My husband's workplace was a constant source of pain and stress, so we were always looking for something else.

In a strange plot twist that none of us saw coming, we found ourselves leaving leaving our lush green-scapes, wild seas, and thundering mountains for the humidity and isolation of the southeast. No family, no friends, nothing to remind us of home. The Pacific Northwest and the Southeast are just about as foreign to each other as any two places in the world could be, and we are like fish out of water here. And though we're still currently in the southeast, we're hoping with every fiber in our beings to once again call the Pacific Northwest home. We were promised a better work environment. We decided on a short term move to the south, but found that these promises were dead on arrival. 

For now, our breaths are shallow, achy. Thoughts of home keep my mind in a perpetual state of longing. When will we make our escape? How do we break free? 

Shortly after we arrived in South Carolina I went hunting for a red Oregon wine at the local grocery store. As the wine attendant helped me narrow down my choices he asked, "You like it there? I heard it's always raining." 

"There's a climate for everyone." I smiled. Inwardly, I just wanted to cry. There will be rain one way or another - either in the verdant landscape I love so dearly, with me sipping my cup of coffee on a foggy morning, or from the dark clouds that cover my heart as I wait for our chance to fly home for good.

So what does one do when stuck in an uncomfortable setting? How does one get through it? I've been in far worse places than this and made it through. I lost my youngest brother to suicide while 4 months pregnant with my first boy. I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer when my second boy was only six months old. These terrible things were lightning bolts and earthquakes and drowning in the deepest seas...but they passed. And here I am in a lesser storm, fighting for ground as if my life depended on it. Fear, insecurity, and anxiety pound on the door, and I welcome them. Shame knocks, and I answer. But I shouldn't.

On good days, days when my faith makes a stronger rhythm than the pounding at my door, I settle a bit and wait the hours out with laughter and homemaking. I dress my children and go out into the world with a nice bit of armor riveted around my heart. I know I'll make it. God has brought me through before, and he'll bring me through this as well. Nothing has changed. All of the things that were true when I came out of those terrible fires are true now:

God is good and he's not against us.
God is faithful and he promises to perfect our faith.
These hard things are temporary in the grand scheme of life.
We are not promised tomorrow, but 99% of the time we get it anyway.
Waiting, though painful, is not lethal.
Bitterness and defeat must be dealt with constantly, head-on.
God is with us, even when he is silent.
God is caring for us at all times.
God is providing for us at all times.
The Holy Spirit is encouraging and strengthening us so we can keep going.
Our kids are watching and learning how to handle stress and disappointment.
Living faithfully even in discomfort is a huge blessing for our kids.

These are the things that get me through the hard days. These are the things worth fighting for, and what gets me through. I know that someday this will all be a memory, and once again we'll find ourselves sipping coffee on a cool, foggy morning with ferns all around, and the sound of the great Pacific Ocean stomping around on the shore. I know we'll see the high cliffs of the Columbia Gorge and feel the spray of the waterfalls in our faces. We'll sink our teeth into the biggest, juiciest honeycrisp apples and trail our fingertips over the marred stones jutting out of trails through ancient old-growth forests. We'll get there. And even if we don't, God is still good.

The Best Halloween Alternative You've Never Heard Of

My biggest helper. He wears an eye patch two hours a day to strengthen his left eye.

Each year as Halloween approaches I find myself struggling with what to do. My husband has similar concerns, so we've been trying to figure this out together for several years now. I'm a person of deep convictions, but for the longest time I've been wrestling with this and going back and forth. Actually, ever since our oldest was a baby because that's when everyone started asking, "Awww! And what are you going to be for Halloween?" 

I didn't want to deny my kid a fun, innocent American tradition (if it truly was innocent).
On the other hand, I didn't want to participate in something that was taking on a guise of innocence (if it truly wasn't). In either case we didn't want to make a decision based in fear or legalism.

There are many Christians who hold strong, differing views and beliefs on this subject, and the purpose of this post is not to persuade, but to share something I'm super excited about. I'm not condemning or belittling anyone's faith walk. This post is written with people like us in mind - people who haven't had a clear conscience about any of the current alternatives to Halloween, who've been praying and seeking out a proactive path. If that's you, keep reading!

Here are just a few of the most popular alternatives to Halloween that we know of, and why they aren't a good fit for our family:

Trunk or Treat
Practically speaking, I don't see anything substantially different between this and other trick-or-treat activities. 

Harvest parties, bounce houses, and hayrides
These are fun and innocent, and we've done a couple of them already this fall. Super fun! There's nothing wrong with these, but I've been looking for something less passive and more active. I don't want to simply distract my kids from Halloween - I want them to experience a deeper relationship with God. 

Hiding in the house with the lights off
I want to demonstrate love, boldness, and humble reverence toward the Father. Hiding isn't really necessary for people opting out of a holiday in a free country. 

If you're curious why I even wanted a Halloween alternative in the first place, here's the briefest way I can describe it: There are people who do terrible things to children, pregnant women, and animals on Halloween - people who take this season (and this holiday) very, very seriously. I'm not so concerned about the history (which I've read) of Halloween and its pagan and/or Christian roots. I'm concerned with what's going on right now. Some of the works of the occult that are currently taking place on Halloween are so grotesque, so evil, so demonic and vile that I can't bear to write them. As a Christian, I know that the enemy is alive and working, and that this season brings rejoicing in death and darkness. I want to rejoice in the Creator of life and light, and I want to be proactive about it. 

My youngest was just as eager to help as his big brother!

You can do your own online searches to find out as much as you want of the horrible things that go on during Halloween. YouTube has a list of videos by former witches and satanists who've turned to Christ, who have opened up and shared some of the things that they used to be a part of, and things they witnessed and heard of.

Some question what any of that has to do with cute little kids trick-or-treating. Again, I'm not using this post as a platform for persuading anyone to change their views. This is for Christians who don't want a passive alternative to Halloween.

Anyway. I don't want to distract my kids from evil - I want them to bring it to Jesus in prayer and be a light in the darkness. I don't want to see how close I can get to the flames without getting burned - I want to be as close to Jesus as possible. That's what we want for our kids as well, and I want them to have a tangible, fun way to do it.

FINALLY! 

I finally figured out a great way for our family to do it! A couple of days ago I just happened to read a comment from a lady I don't know, who said that she celebrates the Feast of Tabernacles in place of Halloween. I was immediately intrigued and asked her what exactly that looked like for her family. She said they put a tent up in their back yard, eat their meals there, and paint rocks. I was seeing stars! 

You've never seen anyone Google so fast and Pinterest so furiously. Haha!
I'm still learning, but I wanted to share just a couple of things I learned about it. If it sounds like what you've been missing, I'd just like to be the first to give you a virtual high-five and say, YESSSSS, me too!!!

As a Christian I wasn't sure if I was allowed to participate in the Feast of Tabernacles. We've never celebrated a Jewish holiday before, so my question was....can we do that?
So far all that I've read online has encouraged Christians to explore this and other Jewish celebrations because of the unity (through Jesus) that has brought us together.

Here's a brief description of the Feast of Tabernacles and how we can experience a deeper connection to God through it. 

This is the best thing I've read so far, explaining the significance of the Feast of Tabernacles and how it relates to us today. 

How do we do it? What does it look like for us? Well, it probably looks a bit different than how they do things in Jerusalem, and it will probably change a bit each year as we learn more about it, but here's how it's starting: 

Our little "booth" in the backyard :)

My hope is to invite neighbors to come have a simple cookout with us on several nights of the feast, once we get our bearings.

I cleared a path with the rake and my oldest lined it with sticks to mark the way. He was SO excited to be working on this project! He wanted to do everything, but with a little coaxing was willing to let me and little brother get involved. We worked as long as the boys were willing, but once we started getting tired, frustrated, and grumpy we called it a day.

Peaceful.

A very tactile experience

One thing that really hit me out of nowhere was the beauty and power of this very tangible, tactile experience. I'm always trying to find ways for the kids to learn and grow through hands-on activities, but I can't remember the last time that I came up with one of those learning activities for myself. Probably never. But there's something about the pull of the rake as I was clearing leaves and pine cones to make a campsite, the whoosh and crinkling of the tarp as it flew up and then crumpled on the dirt, the feel of the tent fabric slipping through my hands, the breeze and sunlight, the laughter and giggles of my boys as they worked joyfully, the crunch of gravel in the fire pit, and the way my hands had to figure out just the right way to move so I could open the tent door smoothly. All of these senses worked the mystery of God's charity into my heart in a way I don't think I've encountered until now.

As we worked, I told my oldest a little bit about the history of what we were doing, and how it can help us celebrate God's provision and know him better. It was a pretty short conversation because I could tell that he totally got it. He was feeling the tents of the Israelites in the wilderness between his own fingers. He was holding the firewood that warmed them at night. He was seeing light by the same sun, walking the same earth, and breathing the same air as generations past. It was his, and it was mine. Beauty.

Another connection I made as we worked is the similarity between some modern educational philosophy and the Lord's feasts. Bear with me, here :) 

In some early childhood education methods, there is emphasis on providing children with a beautiful learning space, spread out for them in advance - a feast for the senses! The learning spaces are full of natural light, free of clutter, and well-organized. Children are encouraged to experience learning through play in a hands-on environment. 

God spreads a table before us as well...a table that stretches from the beginning of the year to the end of it, spread with one feast after another, a tactile learning experience that invites all of the senses! Breathe in the aromas, taste the banquet foods, See the lights and colors and depth of contrast, listen as the Word rises from the pages of the Bible, the laughter of children and stories of family and friends, and feel the softness of the tent cloth, the strength of the tent poles, the crunch of dry leaves underfoot....so nice! God is a loving Father who spreads out a banquet of beauty, art, and creativity and invites us, his children, to sit at the table and take it all in. And really, to take in the beauty and creativity of God's love and faithfulness. He is the master Teacher, and he knows that many of us learn best (and retain what we've learned) through tactile, hands-on experiences. 

I don't know about you, but that's got me excited about the Feast of Tabernacles!

Rocking on the front porch, waiting for dad to get home so they could show him our surprise in the back yard.

So here's the plan: starting today (October 25) and ending on Halloween night (7 days), we will eat most of our meals in our tent, read some recommended Bible passages, pray, sing, and do some fun activities (I haven't figured out what exactly, but that's what Pinterest is for!). Hopefully we'll be able to have some friends over for a campfire and s'mores, and maybe see some stars in the night sky. 

I really wish I could convey just how deeply joyful and at rest I feel now that I've found a way to grow in Christ through this season. No hiding, no distracting, no ignoring....just meeting the night with the power of the Son. It's something that we can invite friends, coworkers, and neighbors to, and gauging by how excited the boys were when I told them we were getting the tent out, I think it's safe to say we've got ourselves a new family tradition over here! 

Working with what we've got: dry brush

One of the things we'll include in our Feast of Tabernacles is a campfire. The boys helped make fire starter bundles from a stack of dead weeds, grasses, and brush that we had near the driveway. 

Kinda pretty!

CUTE!

Bonding over flammable materials

Okay, I got a little carried away.

A bouquet made of dead brush isn't everyone's cup of tea.
I think it's lovely in it's own way :)

All seven fire starters lined up in a row and ready for service!

A Storm in the Woods

This morning I had dream that has clung to me all day. It was about a terrifying storm in the woods, and an angel of God.

There were two plots of land in the woods and they were the same size. They both were dense with incredibly tall fir trees, and each plot had a whole bunch of picnic tables. I was on one plot, sitting at a picnic table with Ryan and Jed, my mom and stepdad, and my siblings. The plot next to ours was sort of fenced off by thick overgrowth (briers, dense foliage, etc.) so we kept on our side and the people on the other side stuck to theirs.

While we were eating together, a huge wind storm came up out of nowhere, howling like the roar of immense waves breaking. It was like an instant hurricane. Some of the tall trees above us were plucked up out of the ground and thrown down all around the picnic tables. I had half a second to look and see where the tree nearest me might land, and the next thing I knew, one of the men at our table had thrown himself onto me to protect me from the falling trees. There was terrible, horrifying howling of wind all around us, and everything happened too fast for words. But somehow, we all survived. No one on our plot of land was killed or even injured in any way. Miraculously, the trees all landed in between the people.

As we began to pick ourselves up and look around, a second tidal wave of wind rammed through the plot of land next to ours. It had more trees than ours did, and most of them were leveled in a blink of an eye. There was no resistance, only swift destruction. It was horrifying to see. Every person in that camp was killed by the falling trees. No one survived.

I suddenly realized something. The people on my plot of land fell into two categories: Christians, and those who still had a chance to become Christ-followers (because their hearts were soft). The people on the other plot of land were too far gone...so hard-hearted, stiff-necked, and who hated God and his laws and everything about him. There was not an ounce of hope left for them, and they knowingly chose that path.

I was separated from my family by a couple of yards, and as I made my way back to them over the rubble, something to my right caught my eye. It was an angel of God sent to kill anyone who was hiding out on our plot of land, pretending to be a Christ-follower. I couldn’t see the angel. The only things I could see were small zings and flashes of whitish, electric blue light as the angel of God killed the imposters. Part of me was very curious to see the angel, but I was so incredibly terrified! I saw my siblings, Ryan, and Jed, and dove onto them, shielding them and praying desperately that the angel wouldn’t kill us. He had no intention of killing us, but I was so scared, I couldn’t help but pray.

After the storm had passed and the angel was gone, we kind of walked around in a daze, and everyone worked on making their way home. I remember saying to my friend Samantha that I was so glad not to have been on the other side of the fence. She was quick to remind me that our lives were spared by God’s grace alone, and not by anything good we had done. We could have very easily been on the other plot of land.

*******

I don’t remember the last time I had a dream like this, so I thought it would be good to write it down and share it. Other than that, I really don’t know what to say about it. It really shook me up, but I don’t know if it’s “prophetic” or anything like that. I just figured I’d put it out there.

The Real Enemy in the Abortion Debate

Photo source: Gratisography

There's something shady going on here. There's a powerful force at work behind the scenes, pulling strings and pitting good people against each other. You may already know where I'm going with this.

Ephesians 6:12(KJV)

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

There are two main camps in this war, and they have been fighting a bloody war for many years. One group calls themselves Pro Choice, and the other calls themselves Pro Life. Both sides swear to be upholding the cause of the oppressed, swear to be providing the most compassionate answers, and swear that the other side is completely out of touch. They provide facts, statistics, and education. They show various proofs, they picket and demonstrate, and work long hours to guarantee the outcome they desire. 

The tricky part is that many of these people ARE doing the right thing, saying the right thing, and working to bring an end to abortion. But they're doing it in ways that hurt each other. Can you imagine if the two camps came together and found common ground? Impossible, right? I can't imagine the protesters throwing down their signs and tearfully embracing the folks on the other side of the debate. It would take a miracle. 

I've talked with Christians on both sides of the fence, and here's what I've discovered: They both have something in common - it might even be the most important thing, or at least close. The Pro Choice Christians and the Pro Life Christians that I have personally talked to both agree that abortion is horrible. I can't speak for people who don't share my Christian faith, but I think it's very reasonable to assume that most people, whatever sign they're holding up in public, at the heart of it they hate abortion and wish it didn't exist at all. 

So who is the real enemy, if it's not my Pro Choice neighbor? It's is the Enemy of our souls, Satan. 

He pits one side against another, creating an excruciatingly long and bloody battle. While the two sides are busy bringing each other down with arguments and answers, Satan is wreaking havoc on women, unborn children, and the people who love them. 

For the sake of clarity, let me say this: I firmly believe in education and the role it has played in helping women take care of themselves and choose life. I firmly believe in securing better health care for women in underprivileged communities. I also firmly believe in the power of crisis pregnancy centers, mobile ultrasound units, people who pray for the mother and child, and those who are sharing their own stories of the trauma of abortion, or the miracle of a child they thought they couldn't keep. 

These are tools and weapons that God has given us to bring hope, light, and compassion into a very dark, morbid situation. I myself had an unplanned pregnancy ten years ago, and chose adoption for my child. I've been very vocal about my story because I've noticed a lack of testimony from women who have placed a child in and adoptive home. And because I've been vocal about it, other women have sought me out when they've found themselves in crisis. I've been able to answer lots of questions about adoption and clear up some of the mystery and fear that surrounds it. So far, each of the three women I "counseled" chose to keep their baby. One of them had been raped by a long-time friend, and her baby was a gorgeous little blond-haired boy. 

But back to my point: The Real Enemy. 

Satan has us so intensely focused on educating people that we have [almost] lost sight of his work in this. We still pray at church that God would open blind eyes and replace fear with hope, but those prayers lack the intensity that our arguments and debates hold. Why doesn't the devil's hand in this get our blood boiling when we pray? Why don't we get as angry at Satan as we do when the media posts another pro-abortion piece, shouting how wonderful this "right" of abortion is? 

We get so angry with each other, even with the unseen people behind the scenes who promote abortion, that we seriously - seriously - miss the mark. We don't need to tamp down our anger when we pray to God. We don't need to whine or plead (though there's nothing intrinsically wrong with pleading). We don't need to plan our words out so that they sound like an 18th century monk spoke them whilst gazing out over a quiet, pastoral landscape. 

Abortion is ugly, destructive, merciless, and isolating. I think most of us can agree on that. 

Here's one way we can pray:

Father, this is ridiculous. People are hurting and dying every day, and it seems like you're not really doing anything about it. Send your warring angels to fight the Enemy back! Pick up your sword and fight on behalf of the women and children! Show your glory and send Satan running! We're in over our heads. We can't do this, and we are frustrated. We need you. When are you going to show up? When are you going to defeat your enemies? Strike him down, God. Beat the devil back! Strengthen your warriors! Reveal yourself, and blow away the smoke and mirrors of the Enemy. Crush his power, drain him of his influence, and break his back. Beat him into the ground, God! You see what's happening here. When will you come and silence the Accuser? How long will you let him lie, steal, kill and destroy? God, help us! You are our Victory. Without you, we have nothing. Bind the Enemy and hurl him into the sea. Destroy his power the way he has destroyed so many lives. Bring his glory down to dust. Cover him with shame. Expose his schemes and tricks. Expose his motives and deceit. Show the world who he really is, and then show the world who you really are! Blast your light into the darkness and send the demons running. Slice fear into a million pieces, and grind shame into a powder! Leave nothing left for the Enemy to use against your people. Send your peace and your healing like medicine and cool water to the hurting. Lift them up high out of the Enemy's reach. Fight for justice, God! Bring light and salvation! Show your glory!

May God graciously fill our hearts with courage to pray boldly. After all, we serve the creator the universe! 

Photo source: Pixabay

Quick Disclaimer: I know there are plenty of people who pray like this, because years ago I was a part of a church that prayed boldly. I don't assume that this post is going to be anything new for many of you, because God is a big God and he has all kinds of prayer warriors. The reason I'm taking the time to write about The Real Enemy is because in my little circle, in my little world, I don't hear people talking like this. And I miss that. So that's why I'm putting my own voice out there - to encourage myself, and maybe encourage someone else along the way!