so much to say and yet so few words

Everyone experiences tragedy differently.  We respond to crisis differently.  As a foreigner living in France, my experience of the terrorist attacks in Paris is different than the French nationals; as someone living in Aix-les-Bains, a 7 hour drive by car from Paris, my thoughts are different than those of our friends living a 15 minute walk from the concert venue.  As someone who watched the events unfold long into the night, my experience is different from Jordan's, who slept soundly at a hotel in Budapest with only a vague knowledge that there had been a bomb at the stadium.

As I try to process the events, as I try to respond to peoples' kind texts and Facebook messages, I have many thoughts and questions about Friday nights attacks.  Over the next few days I will try to get an email out to people with some particular stories of the overall feel is in our own context and how to pray more specifically, but for now, I will simply share this.

On Thursday night, in the very neighborhood where hell broke loose on Friday night, 20 of our GEM colleagues from across Europe were out on the streets.  They were engaging in conversations with people, sharing with them "the reality that there are 'two kingdoms' battling for control of the world around us; a kingdom of darkness and a Kingdom of Light.  Many...acknowledged that our world is dark but nobody really knew to what extent.  Not until the following night."

There is a battle, but it's not just against flesh and blood enemies.  It's against evil rulers, against authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).  

I thank God for this wake-up call.  

May the French see the raging battle and turn to the Prince of Peace, the God of all comfort, the Lord of Light. I pray that Christians would rise up boldly with a sense of urgency in communicating the Gospel with those around them.  May there be a spiritual revival in this beautiful, confused, fearful, and hurting nation!