The month of July has been a tough one as we open our computer screens or turn on our phones only to be alerted of more lives that have been lost all over the country. Some at the hands of police officers, others at the hands of civilians and up until this point. I’ve said nothing. No posts on Facebook, no tweets, no blacked out profile picture on Instagram, nothing. In fact, the only comments I made referencing these atrocities, were lyrics from this Lauren Daigle song, that have proved to be as relevant now as they were when the prophet Isaiah first wrote them.
You must understand, my lack of comment did not in anyway reflect a lack of caring, it more or less reflected my need to be still until I know exactly what I was feeling. Having given myself this time to process – I realized the following things. People are hurting (duh, Brie), people are fearful asking themselves “Am I next?” and we as believers are struggling to see what tactics can be the most effective in times such as these. When I was discouraged last week, one of my friends who is also a pastor reminded me that this is a spiritual warfare that we’re fighting which means it’s not up to us to take matters into our own hands.
In Deuteronomy 32:42 God says when He begins to carry out justice He Himself, “will take revenge on [His] enemies and repay those who reject [Him],” He goes on to say in verse 43 that He “will avenge the blood of [His] children.” This passage of scripture was written in the midst of God expressing His anger over the fact that His children (specifically the children of Israel) turned their backs on Him and I find that to be especially relevant because we as a nation have turned our backs on God, but like the Israelites we as believers can trust that because we are His children, He will seek justice on our behalf. We simply must stand on His Word, believe in His timing and surrender to His methods.
If we don’t, I fear we run the risk of further isolating ourselves because we’ve ignored His commandments. His word says to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, so I’ve been walking around the police station near my house in the mornings and I’ve been praying. I know there are just as many allies as enemies in that building and they all need God just as severely and it’s been freeing. Largely because as many have experienced, it’s hard to be upset with someone you’re praying for or with and it helps me gain the proper perspective of the larger war that’s at hand. One not between flesh and blood but between light and darkness (Ephesians 6:12).
The good news is, we as believers know who wins, but we must continue to remind ourselves of the outcome so we do not lose our resolve to keep fighting not with machines of war but with our hands lifted to God and our heads bowed before him.
NOTE: This weekend, I challenge you to take that same energy you put into any of the methods you’ve used to deal with these tragedies and place it in finding your nearest police station. Once you’re there, take the time to look around at the men and women who walk in and out of it each day and then, pray for them. Pray they won’t fear those they serve in their communities and that we in turn won’t fear them so much that we decide taking their lives is a risk worth taking.