War

The past year or so I have struggled a lot with war. Where do I stand? Do I deserve an opinion? What does God think? What does He think about war in 2008? What would Jesus do? 

I have many people I love dearly and respect who have gone to fight, who have fought in previous wars, who would fight if given the chance, who would fight if it came down to it. 

I still get goose-bumps at fireworks and when I hear the first cords of the national anthem. I cry at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. I think I might bleed red, white and blue. 

But I feel like I am becoming a part of a generation of revolutionaries who believe that the US is evil and war is wrong. That Jesus does not desire it, and although God has used it in the past he would not use it today. 

And I'm torn because I don't know where to place my heart. I know Romans 15, that says DO ALL to keep peace at all times.  And I know countless stories in the Old Testament that war was used to establish God's purpose.

But God's purpose was never that Israel should have a king. But he gave them one in order to get their attention. If in the next world there will be no blood shed even that of animals, I would have to assume that was the original plan right? No blood shed. 

So maybe God has used war and blood shed to get peoples attention. 

And maybe He's trying to get our attention now.

But maybe He is trying to get us to lay down our weapons. How much attention would that get? A army that lays down it's weapons and kneels before it's enemies? 

I don't know what God's plan for the US is, or Iraq or Turkey or anywhere else in the world. But I know one thing, He is trying to get our attention.