“17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy. 3 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.” (1 Thess 2:17-3:5 ESV)

Learning to live missional, alert, at the ready: mankind and her and his actions do not preclude the friendship formed, the bleak weathering of one storm spelling readiness to plunge into the next storm a bit more certain, alert, cautious but punctilious: we are certain and alert that the general spell of Fun, of simple camaraderie, of all-in-this-together, will be the word for the day.

And to the notion of getting on the same page, with of all people our nearest and dearest: these last to the rodeo, to the range, to the battleground, for these we pray. Because of the jaunted Existential edge-of-tomorrow Fact: wow factor meets am-I-situated-enough? Good enough? Thoughtful, prepared enough? How, after all, do I respond to this wild contretemps that is nothing compared to the broader Engagement, War, Spiritual Arrival?

For, fright factor is real but so is gratitude factor. So is simple love for the brethren, this one accused or confronted as to their motives, perimeter requested, some sense of border control around what holy things are in for instance our churches… but all that in the spirit of the Engaged Lovers’ bout, that people are in flux, tempered and Saved or disheartened and Removed. Souls are on the line. The church, after all, is in this business of saving souls… not simply of loving, but more: of saving and of harnessing all the Power of the Spirit to see a light flicker in the nighttime doomsday, but patiently walked through, hour.

And if we’re not severe enough, not gaping enough at what Tomorrow is on the line, what storm is brewing, it is only because we are creatures not the Creator; we pause and wonder, are we Trusting of His sovereign status, His ambassadorial Invite, His calmer story-line and historical analogies thoughtfully vocalized: men, women, all present, we are Humankind on display, put through the ropes. While a dinner party is had, something is secretly underway, some presumption? Or some Fact? Of tentative friendship formed. Of common goals voiced. Of simple man-to-man, woman-to-man, woman-to-woman beloved Visage as in how we see each other. Beloved falling hard for the simple warmth and Humanity on show. We will survive this, even if it is akin to Christ’s own Last Supper, or last hurrah for His discipleship. It, after all, is lived forwardly into Resurrection Life. Life in community. Life around plain friendly joking and theological frameworks.