The Brothers Bright have a song I like called “Awake O Sleeper”. One of the chorus’ I love the most is;

Do you hear the lion roar?
(Awake O´Sleeper)
Stand with me we´ll fight the war.
(Awake O´Sleeper)

Let no man bring me harm
I bear the marks of Jesus.
Let no man bring me harm
I bear the marks of the Lord.

As I was speaking this week with some friends this chorus came back to me. The news has been especially brutal of late and it has people talking about whether we are in the end of days.

I have no idea where you as a reader stand on religion and the many thoughts around the end of days.

My father thought we were living in them when he was alive. I am sure people who suffered through the depression thought they were living in them as well.

However, my feeling is that we are closer than ever.

There are a lot of things that still must come to pass (scripturally) before that happens, but some of those scriptures are being brought to fruition today.

The moral majority seems to be becoming the moral minority with each passing day. We are being shouted down in the streets, classrooms, courtrooms and just about everywhere else. Everyone wants tolerance and an acceptance of anything and everything under the sun.

We would like to think this is something new, but it is not. Yes, we are in a period in America where it is more prevalent than it has been in the past. But scripture is replete with accounts of the same. Sodom and Gomora were destroyed for exactly the same things we are seeing happen today as were many other Old Testament cities and cultures.

Anyone who is surprised by this should not be. It is there in scripture that we would suffer this and more before the true end of days. If you are Christian then all the more. We are quickly approaching a time, and mostly already there, where standing up for your beliefs will have repercussions. And for what? For the fact that we believe in a moral system that encroaches on others rights to no system at all.

I am not exactly a part of the quiet majority. Wearing a Christian motorcycle back patch, an ever-present cross around my neck and, often times, a Biker Chaplain shirt state clearly where I stand.

I expect at some point someone will challenge this. Will challenge me being “vocal” about my beliefs and as such a symbol that others may find offensive. Vocal meaning I am simply willing to talk about and share my belief. Yet, I will “bear the marks of Jesus” and be there to show those self-same people love and acceptance when they come to me in pain.

I have already experience some of this and stood to “fight the war” as best I could. But much of the time fighting the war means that I stand while men “bring me harm”. This is contrary to my nature. I know I am supposed to turn the other cheek, but too often I find that said turning is only a wind up for a return punch (physically or metaphorically). I am doing better about that and turning my anger over to a more humble nature I am trying to nurture. But as James says;

⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

Thus, each day I stand and fight the war in the best way I can with my words here and by showing Christ love to others. But I fear that the day is fast approaching where we will have to truly stand and fight the war or be subjected to the whims of others who do not hold my moral views.

I just hope when that day comes that I can stand and as another line in the song goes;

There will come a day my God will come;

and put me in my place.

My God I pray;

You’ll call my name;

instead of turn away.