ARE WE ABOUT TO GET WHAT WE DON'T WANT BUT MAY NEED?

Enemies. Gunfire. Explosions. Hatred. Irreconcilable. Self-absorption and self-obsession. We live in an intensely threatening time.

From Wall Street to Syria and from border drug lords to Iran, turbulence is on the rise. We basically sit with our hands folded with little clue as to what we possibly could and should do.

I'm with us. I fear a trip to baseball camp or my outgoing friendliness as a regular at the donut shop pales compared to what is needed.

I'm not a prophet. Neither do I wish to be an alarmist. But I believe our nation and our times are under significant threat....and we need to be preparing.

Preparing for what? And how? For invasion so we should fill up our tanks and have a healthy supply of water stashed in our barns?

I wonder if we are about to get what we don't want; but may need. I wonder if serious persecution upon American soil is inevitable. Even if this is so, this will be another "yes" in God's realm (II Cor. 1:18-20). Too, it will mean we need to be in serious preparation.

We must prepare God's children to be believers when things are desperately rough. Disruption at the Twin Towers a decade back brought the community together at noon to pray---friends and strangers were gathering in churches and at work to pray rather than have lunch.

This tells me there is an inner sobriety that knows where to turn. We must not be asleep to threat. Rather, we must awaken to faith opportunities as intimidation arises. We will not see our peolple fold in anxiety; but rather we will see us arise in spirit focus. We may be about to get what we don't want; but we may need.

May we stand by one another as we all live vibrantly for God.