A week ago, on June 6th, the United States commemorated the 76th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion which led to the liberation of Europe. 

In the early morning hours of June 6th, 1944 - 156,000 Allied troops sailed across the English channel to storm the beaches of Normandy, France in the hopes of establishing a forward operating base that would allow for a more effective attack on mainland Europe. The plan had been one that was in development for more than a year, and was to be executed on the orders of General Eisenhower. Originally planned for May of that year, trouble with landing craft delayed the invasion, and then at the last minute, weather conditions required postponing the attack for 24 hours in order to ensure that they would be able to cross the channel with everyone in position and according to the plan that had been drafted.

Upon landing on the beaches, the men disembarked into a hail of machine gun fire, mortars, and death. Some beaches put up very little resistance and losses were minimal, particularly in areas where allied aircraft were able to remove much of the resistance. On other beaches, the men weren't as fortunate. Thousands lost their lives before the day was over, but in the end - the Allied forces possessed the beaches, and were able to land equipment, additional forces, and the beginning of the end of the Nazi occupation of France and ultimately of Europe had begun.

Operation Overlord relied upon the element of surprise, and it relied upon everyone showing up and doing their job according to the plan that was developed. The men had planned for this invasion, they had been trained for this invasion, the equipment was specific to this invasion, the crafts were specific, the locations were specific, there was nothing left to chance. 

Of course - as you likely know, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. In certain areas, aircraft were able to remove more resistance than in other locations. For the men that landed on the beaches with heavy fortifications - they experienced significantly higher casualties than other locations. Airborne troopers were scattered across the French countryside missing drop zones left and right, gliders landed in areas deep in enemy territory. As is often said, "no plan survives contact with the enemy". Men would have to improvise, and adjust as the invasion occurred, but once that order was given there was no going back.

The only way out, was through.

Up to this point - the people of France were subject to Nazi ideology. They were subject to the laws and policies of Hitler's regime, and despite being French citizens - were subject to the German military in all things. Checkpoints, propaganda, curfews and much more kept the French citizens in line, and targeted fear and violence kept the population from fully organizing and executing a rebellion. As the allied forces moved through France on their way to Germany - entire towns were liberated, and restored to French rule. The people received their freedom from the ideology that had been forcibly spread across Europe in the 5 years prior, and it was Operation Overlord, what we now commonly know as 'D-Day' that began the process which led to Germany's surrender less than a year later in May of 1945.

I wrestled with this particular Pastor's Corner last Sabbath, and I ultimately wrote it, and rewrote it in my head probably a dozen times before I finally scrapped it entirely for the clarity the following week could provide. I made another attempt at it last night, and after going back and forth with it for a while and not being satisfied, I went ahead and slept on it. I wanted to ensure that my point was clear, and that it was something God inspired, and was not forced.

We live in unprecedented times.

That is not to say that things like what we are experiencing haven't happened before. In 1918, the world was affected by the Spanish Flu, which came in three distinct waves and ultimately killed millions before it finally burned itself out. Americans experienced incredible economic difficulty in the late 1920's that led to a great deal of unemployment and the Great Depression. This is not the first time that racial tensions have risen to the surface. There have been race riots and protests which have occurred throughout the 20th century, with both blacks and whites as the aggressors, and if you dig further back into human history - there has always someone who believes they are superior to someone else and who subjugates and oppresses the other group with violence and threats. 

I say this not to excuse the behavior, frankly - I cannot condemn it strongly enough. But this is not new. It is not an invention of the modern era.

It is human nature which has been impacted by the influence of Satan the devil, and it has been like this since Adam and Eve bought the lie.

Just as Hitler invaded Poland and started World War II in September of 1939, Satan invaded God's garden at the dawn of human history, and subjected mankind to his ideology. His is an ideology of pride, of hatred, and of sin... of lies and of deception. It is an ideology that encourages partiality among men, dividing them based on economics, and skin color, and opinion. It is an ideology which teaches that conflict and strife with our fellow man is something to be fought for and upheld in the name of being right.

It is an ideology that is in stark contrast to the way of God.

And yet, as we all too easily understand - it is an ideology that is easy for us as humans to find ourselves subscribing to and participating in. After all, we live in Satan's world. He is the god of this age. (2nd Corinthians 4:4)

Just like the citizens of France in 1944 - we are subject to this ideology today. We--humanity--has been subjugated by Satan and the ways of this world and we have been enslaved to sin, and are in bondage to this way of life.

In contrast to this, God has begun a work, and it is a work that goes back through history a very long time. It goes back to faithful men and women throughout time, whom He has called out of this world. Men like Enoch, and Noah, Abraham, Deborah and Ruth, David, Mary, the Apostles... Mary, the men and women of the first century church, and the remnant of Christ's followers throughout time that has come down to us. For this remnant, He has offered a way out of their bondage through the sacrifice of His Son. 

Brethen, we are the bearers of the torch today, we are those who have accepted that sacrifice on our behalf, and who are are letting the light of Christ shine in our lives. 

These issues that we see in the world around us today, are issues that cannot and will not be solved in this life. They are issues that are beyond mans ability to solve, because they are issues that are rooted in an eternal struggle between darkness and light. Between the ways of Satan, and the ways of God, and as such - they cannot and will not be solved in this life.

The only solution to the ills of this world is the coming Kingdom of God.

That is not to say that you and I have not been called to live this way of life now, we absolutely have... we have been called to show no partiality (James 2:1-9). We are asked to show respect for the governing authorities and to speak evil of no one (Titus 3:1-7). We are admonished to be lights to those in the world around us (Matthew 5:14-16). To love God and love our neighbor (Mark 12:30-31), to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit of God that dwells in us (Galatians 5:22-23) and to be meek peacemakers, who are merciful and pure of heart. (Matthew 5:1-14) We are called to serve as Ambassadors of the coming Kingdom of God for our Lord, Savior and King. (2nd Corinthians 5:17-20).

When Christ was on trial before Pontius Pilate, Pilate asked him point blank if He was the King of the Jews. Christ wanted to know if he was asking on his own accord, or if the Jews had put him up to it. Pilate told Christ, "Do I look like a Jew? Your own nation and the Chief Priests have delivered you to me. What have you done?"

Christ's response was telling.

"My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but my Kingdom is not from here."

Pilate responded, "So you are a King then?"

"You say rightly that I am a King. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice."

The only solutions to the ills of this world, and the problems of human society and human government is the return of our King. Christ told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world, not yet... but there is a time coming, a moment in the future where God the Father is going to tell Jesus Christ, "Go... it's time." and He will return to this world and bind Satan the devil, strike down the Kingdoms of this World, and usher in 1000 years where partiality, and socioeconomic disparity will slowly become a thing of the past. The knowledge of God will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, and mankind will for the first time in their history understand WHY things are the way they are. God's way will become so ingrained that to hear stories of what it was once like will seem foreign, completely out of place, and unbelievable...

When that time comes and the order is given, and Christ makes that landing on those proverbial beaches, returning to this earth and liberating the people of this planet from their bondage to sin, and establishing His long awaited Kingdom on this Earth, God's plan will come to fruition.

On His orders.

Until then - we wait.

When conditions are right, God the Father will order the operation to begin, but it won’t begin fully until that order has come. We can run off on our own with our sword raised above our heads and shout, ‘Follow me!’, but our individual efforts will not bring about the Kingdom of God. The timing of the final invasion is God the Father’s call. Right now is not the time to overthrow Satan's Kingdom, not yet... He hasn't given the order. Now is the time of our training, and preparation.

It is God's call, not our own.

But it does not stop us from aching for the conditions of the world. A little over two weeks ago, I watched George Floyd die.

I watched the full video sitting here in my office chair as he called out for his mother, how he begged for the men who were apprehending him to stop, how he was unable to breath. I watched as his body became motionless and his life ebbed from his body.

I watched him die, and I sat here in my office chair and I wept.

I closed my office door and I just sobbed. I wept for what this world has become. For what Satan has managed to do to what God has created. How we have reached a point of callousness that a man could just kneel on another man's neck as the man pleaded for his life and do nothing. 

I watched as protests erupted and became riots. As innocent individuals who had done nothing except be in the wrong place at the wrong time were beaten, as law enforcement officers were executed in the line of duty, as businesses were looted and burned.

I watched as government officials condoned the violence, and as various groups of people on both sides of the aisle made excuses for themselves. I watched as groups of people called for an abolition of law enforcement. As I write this - an armed group of protestors hold 6 city blocks of Seattle in an attempt to create yet another Utopia. We've been here before, and their attempt is looking at lot like all the other attempts to this point.

Sadly, I also watched as God's people allowed our adversary to drive a wedge between brothers and sisters in Christ, people who have the same Spirit, the same hope and faith, over their positions on a myriad of topics.

This world is fatally wounded. There is no recovery. It is dying, and it was prophesied to be so. There is no fixing this iteration. Like birth pangs in a expectant mother, once they begin - the only way out is through. They hurt. They are painful, and disruptive, and agonizing to experience, but as the contractions get stronger and closer in frequency, the end result nears, and is something new.

That something new is not just a continuation of this world, some ill-advised human attempt at utopia, it is a New Heavens and a New Earth. It is the Kingdom of God.

We may sigh and cry for the troubles of this world, we may even choose to take action against these things in various ways, but we must do so with the firm understanding that we cannot fix it while Satan the Devil is in authority over mankind. He has ingrained it within our nature to be prideful, and partial, and sinful. It requires us to submit to God and His Spirit dwelling in us to be anything otherwise.

Rending our heart of stone into a heart of flesh, one that is malleable, and humble and contrite.

We have a responsibility to love one another, a responsibility to love our fellow man, to listen and understand, and as much depends upon us to remain peaceable with all. These situations in which we find ourselves, with a worldwide pandemic, escalating racial tensions, socioeconomic disruptions... these things are not an opportunity for us to pass condemnation on someone else because they disagree with us, they are not times in which we lord it over one another, or pridefully 'Thank God that I'm not a __________, like this man." These opportunities and challenges are provided for us as a part of our training, to teach us and to prepare us.

Instead of reacting in this fashion, as the world around us reacts, we must instead have an outpouring of love. To one another as brethren, to our fellow man, and to the world as Ambassadors to the Kingdom of God.

That love is a choice.

That love is a challenge.

... but that love is a order from our commanding officer.

On June 6th, 1944 - the world changed. 156,000 ground troops, tens of thousands of air and naval support craft assaulted the beaches of Normandy, France and their victory signaled the beginning of the end of Adolf Hitler's empire. 11 months later, the German forces surrendered, and the war on the European front was over.

Despite it not being the time to overthrow Satan's kingdom, we are called to live His way now. To be it now, but as an example to those around us as we love and care for others. We're called to be a warm and inviting light in a sea of darkness, a city on a hill that others can gravitate toward, and can find solace in, because in that warmth and light - they find the love of God.

Be that light. Love one another. Care for one another. Love and care for your fellow man. Rich, poor, black, white... law enforcement officer, protester, mask advocate, non-mask advocate, it doesn't matter, its all ultimately details. Be respectful and listen to understand, not to respond. Job's friends did a great job - right up until they decided to respond, then they sinned. Sometimes the best response is just to sit in silence with someone for a while in support and when they feel like talking, to listen.

Love God, Love your Neighbor as Yourself, and Godspeed the Kingdom.