Soldiers Fall on the Field of Battle

Missionaries who die as a result of militants attacking where they are serving are fallen soldiers in a spiritual battle, right?  I mean, that is a no brainer. But what about those who are just going about their daily lives and find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, like eating at a restaurant? What about those who die of illness, because I would not have said my cancer was necessarily a spiritual battle?  Or what about a car accident? Those things happen in the comforts of their home country too, right? So, are they still fallen soldiers in the spiritual battle? Tragic events, yes, but fallen soldiers in battle? 

I confess that I did not always think so. I thought of it as the same as if they died in their home country, since it was in a means that could easily happen there. Maybe that was because I was wanting to comfort my parents that car accidents could happen anywhere. On March 12, a car accident occurred near my parents house and there too was loss of life. So what makes it different, what changed for me to realize I was wrong? 

Randy and Kathy Arnett came to Congo to lead a training on Neopentecostalization, to equip pastors with the Word to “battle” the prosperity heresy that is so prevalent. This training would equip these soldiers to do battle in the enemy territory. On March 14, Randy and Kathy headed to the interior of Congo with Jeff and Barbara Singerman. When I first heard about the accident and about Kathy’s death, I was stunned and yet knew immediately that this was warfare. The enemy was not going to let go of his stronghold easily. I was with my language helper who offered comfort that soldiers fall on the battle field. 

Later, as we heard about Randy, I was even more sure of the battle that was being waged. Randy’s work to educate and equip pastors for this battle had spread all over Africa and was taking back places that the enemy had blinded. Now, who would take up that mantle? Who would lead the soldiers into battle? 

The next day as a sweet Congolese friend and her husband visited Barbara Singerman in the hospital, they repeated the phrase my language helper had shared about soldiers falling in battle. 

I was wrong. I had been wrong for a long time. Yes, car accidents do happen in my home country and can be fatal, but the fact remains, it was the work of the Lord that had Randy and Kathy Arnett in Congo at that time, on that road. They died on the field of battle. As a couple, they looked forward to years ahead in service to the Lord and yet were also aware of His sovereignty. 

That Congolese couple as they visited with Barbara stressed the importance that the rest of us as soldiers would continue to press forward into enemy territory and raise the Lord’s banner. 

So that is what we will do. We will do battle. We will take back territory from the enemy. We will raise the Lord’s banner. We will not let the lives of our fellow soldiers be lost in vain. 

Palm Sunday In a New Light

Whenever I have contemplated Palm Sunday, I have been struck by how fickle humanity can be. One day they are singing, “Hosanna,” to Jesus as he entered Jerusalem, and just a few days later the people are yelling, “Crucify Him!” How quickly and easily people can change. Though I knew this, I continued to be stupefied by this drastic contrast. 

Recently, I have come to have a new look at this day. 

In the culture in which we now live, the whole process from death to burial is the funeral arrangements. The place where the body lays and the family grieves has its own name. The grieving place is a place where friends and family can visit and grieve together. Many will spend the night before the burial together, sleeping in the same place as the departed loved one. Many of the tribes here will pass the night singing together. In order to help people to know where the grieving place is, a palm branch will be placed in the ground down the road from and be pointed toward the grieving place. 

The palm branch points toward the grieving. 

What never made sense to me before, the joy of waving palm branches and singing preceding the cross, now makes sense. The palm branches point to the grief ahead. 

But O the joy that lays on the other side for those that know the rest of the story! Death does not have the last word! Jesus’ resurrection conquers death and brings life everlasting to those that follow Him! Jesus alone changes our mourning into rejoicing.