Today Is Not The Time To Retreat!
When fear knocks at our door, the Church is called to stand, love, and shine.
Terror hit my Canadian city on a typical Saturday night in late September 2017.
That night, our football stadium was full of fans of every colour and faith. Most were wearing team colours: forest green and gold. It was a playoff game, and the stadium is not far from the downtown area where I live.
As I’m not a football fan, I simply hoped the crowds leaving the game wouldn’t be too rambunctious after hearing our team had won. I heard quite few more sirens than usual go by, but I didn’t think much of it. After all, I live on an avenue with plenty of nightclubs and bars. It was the playoffs as well as a weekend evening. It was to be expected.
When I woke the next morning, I was stunned to hear that a local police officer had been stabbed. At first, I assumed it had been a rowdy fan upset over the game. Then I read about a lone attacker deliberately targeting pedestrians, seriously injuring several people with a rented truck. Echos of similar sounding attacks in other nations briefly entered my mind.
Hundreds of football fans who, moments earlier, had simply been out enjoying the evening suddenly found themselves running down narrow back alleys, desperately searching for safety.
Although the attack resulted in no deaths or life-altering injuries, it left a deep impact on my peaceful city.
I couldn’t quite take it in.
If I’m honest, most of my friends were numb as well. When we met for lunch after church a couple of days later, we mentioned it only briefly before moving on to other things. Thankfully, most of us were wise enough not to speculate.
I did tell my friends about something that had happened just hours before the attack.
Earlier the same afternoon, I passed a young couple while enjoying the beautiful September weather. They were obviously very much in love. Laughing together, they had just conquered the longest outdoor staircase that many Edmontonians use to access our beautiful river valley.
The husband made a dramatic show of how exhausted he was, hamming it up for his sweetheart.
They were adorable, I thought.
The word Muslim never entered my mind, even though she wore a light head covering and a beautiful light and airy yet modest pantsuit. I guessed they were probably moderate in their faith by their subtle public displays of affection.
Even if she had been in in a heavy hijab, I wouldn’t have felt fear toward them the day before the attack, and I still wouldn’t two days later, after the attack.
They were simply part of the multicultural mosaic that makes up my nation. We welcome that diversity here in Canada. It’s part of our DNA.
A side note: Several months after the attack outside the stadium, after a thorough investigation, it was discovered the lone attacker had a history of mental health issues. Officials believed from the first that his motivation was not born out of ties to any known extremist cell.
As I look back at this story, eight years later, I felt the Lord say, “Today is not the time to retreat.”
This is not the time for His Church to turn away because the darkness feels overwhelming.
Now is not the time to become resigned and sigh, “It’s just a sign of the times.”
No, Church.
Now is not the time to retreat.
Now is not the time to look away.
Now is not the time to put on soothing music and withdraw.
Now is the time for warfare—not against people, but against our common enemy.
Now is the time for the Church to become the sign of the times rather than be obsessively looking for signs of the end times.
Now is the time for us to be a billboard that boldly declares, “There is a better way than cowardice, fear, apathy, and self-preservation.”
Now is the time for the Church to be who Christ raised us to be.
Now is the time to love without fear, to hope beyond hope, to give generously, and to live with courageous kindness.
Paul could have written the following to us today as Christians try to make sense of the realities so many people around the world face every day.
This is the Lord’s charge to us.
Do not retreat.
This passage is a Rhema word. Grab hold of it. It carries life, and it carries God’s marching orders!
Ephesians 6:10–13
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Stand firm.
Look forward without flinching.
Do not retreat.
Do not numb yourself.
We often use the phrase gird up your loins, but some may not know where it comes from. In biblical times, men wore long robes that made running difficult. To gird up their loins meant gathering up the robe and securing it with a belt so they were ready to move into battle at a moment’s notice.
So too, ready yourself today.
As Christ sets you free from the crippling fear of the unknown, He will place you on a hill where your light can shine as a beacon.
Until next time,
Kath