A Ready Response
Growing up in the “cold war” era of our nation’s history, one response I remember was the trend of families building bomb shelters in their basements or backyards. We used to undergo nuclear attack drills at school where we were instructed to hide under our desks for “protection.” There was a proliferation of yellow and black “Fallout Shelter” signs on many public buildings.
Though there was limited value to these defensive response measures against nuclear attack, the attitude of our government in those years was, as I recall, “the best defense is a good offense!” That resulted in a great number of military bases constructed and maintained on foreign soil in countries like Germany, the Philippines, Korea and many others around the world. That tangible, prepared presence of US armed forces communicated a serious readiness to meet any act of aggression by a perceived enemy. The intent was to convey a quick and deadly response from a position in close proximity to every potential threat anywhere in the world. The cost of that preparedness was substantial and the sacrifice of military families being stationed overseas was burdensome, but the benefit was a clear understanding to a potential enemy that the United States was ready to keep peace no matter where the source of contention. We had assumed a status of a ready response.
Many times, as with the hundreds of military personnel stationed in foreign countries, the members of Jesus’ church become discouraged and frustrated when they begin to think that their “presence” in church, or even in the community, doesn’t really accomplish much. We sometimes feel small within the big picture of the struggle against an enemy that seems undeterred in his aggression. Yet it is the very existence of the church, and the determination of each individual member to live a holy life in “enemy territory”, that sends a clear message to the unbelieving world that we are serious about the real ability of the gospel to change lives and bring salvation to any who will yield. Like the Minutmen of the American Revolution, our stature of ready response allows us the flexibility to effectively meet challenges. We gain strength and encouragement as we meet together as the Body of Christ!
Faithful attendance and support of the ministry of the church is a large part of the Kingdom plan, and the reason Paul warned “Do not neglect the gathering together of yourselves.” Let us learn to rejoice in such “prepared presence” as we encourage each other to follow Jesus every time we meet together as His people!
How exciting to be His people,
Pastor David Vanderpool
