Faith vs Fear
I’ve heard it said that fear and faith can’t coexist.
As I see another incident where the terrorists kidnap someone and threaten to kill them if their demands aren’t met, I am reminded of that. That got me to thinking….why are they doing this? Why go to all of this trouble just to end up killing the hostage in the end?
For starters, I think terrorism is a very tangible representation of evil and how the enemy works in the world.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
The modus operandi of the devil seems to be: offering to give us something that appeals to us….ONLY after we do something for him first. The second part is irrelevant as all he is concerned with is getting us to give in to our desires.
(see Matthew 4)
So, here we have another tape of the terrorists saying they will not kill this hostage…ONLY if we withdraw troops. Sound familiar? This goes back to what I believe is their goal…they are trying to get us to fear them and give in to their demands. That’s why they always wear those masks. How scary would it be to see a mortal man holding a piece of paper and reading …while possibly adjusting his glasses?
So they grab their weapons, dress in black, and cover their faces with those black masks - and let the video cameras roll. Meanwhile, they hope this new sinister image will reverberate throughout the world - enough so as to shake our faith and make us give into the fear.
But I’m reminded in God’s word that these terrorists are not super human, they are not the mysterious, powerful fighters that they appear to be. They will eventually have to bow the knee to God, and then justifiably face an eternity apart from Him.
Do we give into the fear, or do we hold on to our faith? For us, there is no choice. As Christians, we remain faithful to God and His word, and focus on doing His will in these troublesome times. However, the enemy is not going to go down without a fight. Therefore, we must be vigilant in our fight against terrorism and those who practice it. Many around the world may be having doubts about the nature of the war in Iraq and whether we are justified in our actions. As another video tape is released to Al-Jazeera and shown around the world, let that remind you and be a confirmer that this is a war against terrorism…and is necessary and justified.
Tags: News and Media, Theology
