“6 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. 9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Heb 6 ESV)

The fruits of Prayer include stark focus. Ample Insight that gets things done. Leaving by the wayside so many ill-begotten, distracting, methodological or unquestioned foci. For, to have a Vision is to see the gentry starting to communicate, the denizens starting to converge, the council starting to lift hefty Flag and Principle. It is starting to see Courage writ large, written on the faces, of the solemnly beautiful Cohort, Crowd, Calm Assembly. Courage indeed that all that was needed was One bullet point, One email, One Invite unto the realm of fasting and of feasting around Focused, Wartime entourage.

Our entourage includes so many who would be Christ for us, because it is a label gladly hoisted upon this our peer or our would-be competitor. To be Christ for a day, for a season, and then to the Decisive, Formally Shaped, Yay and Nay assertion: you can get with this, or you can get with that; we, after all, are with Jesus who is Christ.

With Him because the soldier literally is prey to Mental Health concerns just as much as Bravery and Miracle-Working. The soldier strives not to bend under duress. The soldier fights against mental health called despondency or anxiety. And his or her Heroism finds footing in Something imparted, communicated, passed on. The unbending, firm and steel beam-like Formation, Formative Experience, Calm looking-down-upon the ones to be Recruited, Upbuilt, Formed, Made like Iron. It is no false strength but a Promise of strength even in the trenches and around the cabinet’s round table. Because of self-doubt being yet another manifestation of mental health and agility, the agility to Decide and to Pull the Trigger: where the silhouette on this firing range is a sin we are aggressive against. We are hawks in part, around disgusting sin, around the slow stain of sin, against the compromises made in community. We are on the side of the one abused or taken advantage of, because no matter the “history” or “infamy”, for us, being the Regaled Ones, for us to be implicated, is heresy and false promise. We are Regaled and therein Owners of this wartime communal piece of the pie. Royal estate, regally-owned, land being ultimately in the hands of the national interest, all capitalistic notions aside.

But to the prophet’s prayer and the saint’s prayer: that Focus would obtain, that sleepy-headed miasma would disperse, that the fog of war would play no depressive “Catch-me-up” but rather “Today is the Day!”. The Day, indeed, despite all the “What if’s” around having started up a month or two sooner. We have elated Notions and Visions. We have post-it notes of Answers to every scenario Analyzed by the mind of the analytical warrior: now, having taken a moment thus to analyze, let us not forget! What we’ve learned! What forward advance we’ve essayed unto! What unmaking of the Blemish as we’ve undertaken! To be yay and nay around real Discernment and Beautiful cleanliness. Of a sort not hedged in the soldier’s own prerogative or ability, but of Divine Power to destroy strongholds, adopted, afforded, borrowed by the soul and heart of the Soldier: Christ’s people for this age and for all time. An eternal Brotherhood, Sisterhood, Camaraderie, that These Folks learned somehow in the trenches, to Live and live Clean.