Arm of Flesh.

SCRIPTURE:  Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 KJV

THOUGHT: Dismay. Disbelief. Apprehension. Shock. Even panic. These are a few of the words that float up for me as I’ve watched the happenings in Israel this week. It began on a holy-day celebrated since God commanded the new nation thousands of years ago to celebrate and mourn nationally at various times of the year. This day was the final in the Feast of Booths, a week when families gather, frequently camping outside as a reminder that God provides and sustains. They celebrate the harvest.

Then came the surprise attack penetrating defenses on land, sea, air, and ground. Better coordinated and better funded than a terrorist organization could have possibly launched alone. At current count, 1300 Jews slaughtered mercilessly, mostly civilians – women, children, tiny infants, the elderly – including at least two dozen Americans. Hundreds taken captive to be used as human shields. Unconscionable war crimes by a group of terrorists whose stated goal is to eradicate a race, not fight over land, not wage a just war, not fight back because they’ve been attacked. And the same people in our culture always jabbering about hate crimes are celebrating.

I am dismayed. How could this happen? And how could it happen without warning – logistically, financially, technically, spiritually? And, over and over, I’ve heard officials in our government concerned that it could happen here. I might have had that thought, but it’s something different to hear elected officials and pod-casters talking about it. We live in a fragile world.

I pass by a church sign on my way to town and back. For the last few weeks it has said, “God never said there wouldn’t be weapons formed against you; he just said they wouldn’t prosper.”

Typically I start to tune out a sign I see over and over, but this one has kept my attention, and now there’s a whole new layer of truth. We have an enemy, and behind his tactics lies pure evil: to steal, to kill, to destroy. But like the ancient people of Israel and Judah, we must remind ourselves to be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles.

Rest yourself upon the word and power of God our king. Far more than an arm of flesh.

PRAYER: Oh God, hear and answer every child of yours who cries out to you. Jesus be our advocate against our ancient enemy. Holy Spirit give wisdom and truth in our inmost being.