“17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. 29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. 32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” (Heb 11:17–40 ESV)

Science of spirit, the student of the Unknown is in a bargain wherein Faith is for real. God is not mocked. God is not lessened to a captive species. God is honored. Yet the science, the God-fearing experiments, these are the Officer’s bout with Sincerity, genuine Worship, all-in Mentality.

Like a cretin on a spree, a melee most sublime, the giddy Euphoria of life in Spirit: the beeps and boops do Network and Unify created order across the globe. We are those called to said Euphoria in the Promissory Note: corporate boardroom high table meets the Average Member of the community now placed on some High Counsel.

Penitential rhythms, meanwhile: Jesus’ friends, they were treated to the Conviction, Accusatory (but only unto Repentance), Law and even then, amidst acknowledged Failings, to the bright lining of the storm cloud, that Respect and Forgiveness is available.

The ruinous conscientiousness: as heightened Alert spells heightened Urgency, Need, Presence, our consciences are Tried and Plied, hurt and gone rogue in the Penitential. We need Urgent Answers to big theological puzzles, that Forgiveness is the name of the game. Somehow the Penitent is now operating on His Timeline, Christ’s timeline, Christ’s Ownership of the life, even as said life is spared for a season that the Greater Love of God in Christ might be shown forth.

The war is around strange confluences of events, around the ways we often overlook plain Benevolence and Kindred Spirits. Contrast those with the nominal Norm: antagonism, pained life experience, frustrated spells of thought, inability to Rise up. Indeed, we who have a clean slate on so many fronts, do well to Act on behalf of the many who are likewise principled, but who lack the Absolved spiritual License to Operate in the community, who are burdened, in sick wards, haunted, traumatized, and more.

We can overlook the Good Will. We can overlook the leaning onto a Friend. Our Friend in Jesus is operating subliminal, sublimated, secretive. Because they gape and feign Horror at Love. They hate Love. And love in turn does well to pray a prayer of Innocence undisturbed. Others can “do the inductive rite” without us. Without our own culpability on the line. Without risking Anything… yet we are those—science of Spirit—who dare one time too many to risk it all, life and so on, for the sake of a Contact Made, an Operative Inducted, a Friend like E.T. made across civilization’s bounds.

To the ramparts, then: again, in strange fascination at times—having also seen War—at the blessed Good Will Present. Strangely in this war it for the time being is odd and ungermane: the enemy is so Proud as to reveal their heart’s inclination; to wear their hatred proudly, not hiding, no subterfuge, really no Question as to whom we can trust and whom not. We make lists: trustworthy, not. But the proud Foe is not yet cagey, not yet of the same Guild as us. Even as we be faulted in like manner for so many other things, the claim we don’t know Prophecy as a notion, kingship as a creedal element, inspiration as a faith point. So they in their turn use our own prophecies against us: “he or she is speaking in the spirit, and all he hates on the enemy around, that is something we should—inspiration and all–we should do”. All this to say, Christ is Honored, yet to that rebellious-by-definition cohort, some—please don’t hurt the children’s faith—request for Honorarium and Submission. We are those rather Elevated on the principles of a sublime kind of mutuality and submission: not simply to Ma and Pa as supreme, but to Created Order as a mandate to Thrive. To invent and go our own way, minus official sanction beyond ma and pa’s blessing of our good ship Faith as it sets sail.

The love directed to the soldier’s path: it can be unlove and abuse, when it is phrased as “help us make a man of him… make a woman of her…”. No, for real, we all Love so-and-so… so help us coach them into adulthood. As if. Sad to state that amidst great denouements and Evidence of Christ’s masterplan, there are so many pet Causes unsubstantiated with argument. God will prevail, but for how many generations will the class-system, the caste-system remain? God will prevail but isn’t it sad this wasn’t accomplished ten years ago? No, we would be Horrified to learn of the sacrifices He still makes for us, yet amidst nominal Horror we soldier forth no harm done, no losses acknowledged. Beyond the loss of our expulsion from the Garden. Our guiltiness before the Friend in Jesus. That some Crimes… they even seem to disturb our Ministry… but we know a Friend in the Absolving One, that as chatter increases, as wars are waged abroad, that blessed Providence will lead us as those Chosen for a season, and each day a precious Aspect of that Season. We are needed, healthsome, forgiven, New Creations. And each Duty discharged, it would be worth All to get it ratcheted up as a done deed and talking point, something Focal. Even this is a mystery. Because Christ didn’t have the science of Spirit to protect Him from the crucifying spirit of the age. And by Tomorrow, by Tomorrow’s War, we will be playing leapfrog with the spiritual science, again right back to square one: today if you hear His voice… count it all joy, when you meet trials and persecutions… not everything is scientifically Established, and you will be hated for His name’s sake… Indeed, look! You have already accomplished So Much! In Christ, in His patient roominess around here. So be blessed and be Forgiven much, that you might Operate in His Littorals, His Theater, His combat zones most near to the heart and most sublime. We are those presented as the dregs of the earth, and are still Giddy in the Life-giving Spirit. Because He transposed across a Gulf so wide, to preach Forgiveness of Sins to the congregation that needs it most. That congregation being us.