“3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:3-11 ESV)

By and large the Right Thing comes to pass by virtue of the tireless but light and airy deeds of the Camaraderie. We all carry a burden light, we all compose a toolkit made easy. Eventualities bubble up and murmur forth because of strangely Prophetic chances taken, opportunities mined, engagements Capitalized Upon. We capitalize; we storm the gates; we search the Toolkit: now found out as on a course destined to Die for someone or some folks we might not even “like”. That is the Christian soldier’s Cross. That is the lightly understood but Very Real womb and gestation of the clouds and all that surrounds said Destined One.

Jesus was Destined. Jesus reached a pose of leaning, so bereft of strength as He was, on a passerby to carry His cross. Somehow we tell these stories of Benign and Noble spirits that accompany the Soldier, but are they in fact ever real? Is it actually the case that society is merciless and the Dying Soldier’s pains are Not Heard? Still, Hope springs forth eternal, Vision is all that the Saint needs to go on. Yes, to that toolkit most sublime and Christian; Yes, to a teaching moment, or some Induction into “our way of doing things”; Yes, the plea that we were nearly already Ready, with a little coiffe and a missive, a direction, a sending-forth, an Apostolic Calling, we already Earned Frontline Status.

Because the warroom is already draping its banner and perimeter of protection over the former pacifist or Liberal Society manners, arrangements, accoutrements. The panel is re-invented. The headship is re-anointed. The minions are re-purposed. And then we pray, that the prophecy shall spell it’s own undoing, that Peace shall reign, a Peace Strong for the burdens it has refused to negotiate over, the weddings and baptisms, the last rites and anointings with oil, the penitence, the confirmations and ordinations.

Spellbound, together-tied, loftily arranged, the Cohort called “city”, called “region”, called “mindset” or “teaching” is already shucking off its companionships and expansive borders: this Region shall be on this limb of the Tomorrow War: everyone Knows it is war, only in strange and potent Lockstep they go about their routines and business. Each is serving in their own right, a War so different, re-purposed from the last Great One, with new social arrangements and technologies so misunderstood and radical. And when pedal meets metal, the refusal to Concede a point so dramatically Owned and Felt: this ups the ante; this mocks sanguine and peaceful Coexisting thought; this hastens Armageddon-thinking. Because of the friend slighted. Because of the nerve pinched. Because of the pride mocked.

Decisions taken this hour ripple with repercussions; we pray for Centrally-Located mindset, that we may use the Toolkit of confession and repentance, the Toolkit of Cruciform Service, the Toolkit of Third-Eye benevolent (but not Bored!) action. We act; we are aggressive; we are fun-loving, not by the long-awaited War Cry, but by the ecstatic Era of Peace.