‘Victory! Victory!’ The chanting begins, as the crowds become increasingly emotional hoping and praying the others will hear their cries from down below. Who is helping them? Where are they going? What are they doing? How will they survive? Yet, they continue to chant, ‘Victory! Victory!’   

If we are in circumstances or situations when directions are confused and unclear, the battle is clearly not going our way, do we shout ‘Victory! Victory!’ Or is it more like, ‘All is lost! Help! Mayday, Mayday!’  

The men, ruthless and restless vagabonds filled with hate and murderous thoughts, descended upon the little Church in the village. With axes and foul odorous plans they begin to ransack the place. Their hate driving them forward through the Church grounds now ruined by their hands, to the doors and into this House of Prayer and Worship. Knowing the Pastor was inside they swung their axes in his direction, surprised and caught off guard the Pastor tried to lock the door to the back room, but too late the attackers hate surged them forward, the Pastor unable to stop the blows. From seemingly nowhere another believer runs in helping the Pastor escape but not without also suffering severe wounds from the gang’s weapons.

Miraculously the Pastor and believer were able to survive injured though they were by the axes and knives. A few days after, the Pastor is able to speak and gain some strength to walk again, unwillingly to give in to fear and doubt, he calmly says, ‘When can I go back to Church to continue to minister?’ This is a Church in a poor village in a developing nation with Pastors and believers set on making a difference in their community, praying for their attackers, knowing that God will give them Victory! How are we standing for the Lord today? How are we living through our battles? Are we able to know that we can live through it all and shout a cry of ‘Victory!’?   

The Lord is our shield and strength, in Him we find our Victory! Do not give up, do not give in, you can stand strong and fight on, for the Lord is on your side.

In the past walking through the streets of Colombo sensing the tension, seeing armed soldiers standing, waiting, looking for the slightest cause for alarm was something to tremble amidst. In another moment one could drive a couple miles away from Colombo’s hub of activity and find oneself surrounded by natural beauty. Soft gentle winds provide a cooling relief from the heat of the city. Greens, vivid pinks, reds, and purple of every tone peek out of the ground and create an encompassing calm swaying canopy of trees and flora. A hue of blues and green shimmer off in the ocean as the setting sun flaunts its final display of radiance in a variety of colors and imagery.

These are the lasting memories one has of an island paradise. When living in Sri Lanka one would become desensitized to the constant news of civil war between the ethnic groups, the masses dying, fleeing, screaming, fighting, bleeding, and crying out for end of war and beginning of peace. Focusing one’s mind on nature and the mundane activities of daily life and struggle would be an avenue of escape from the chaos around. In the past 26 years Sri Lankans have faced a myriad of struggles and a barrage of consistent messages of definite war and daring hopes for peace. In the 1970’s and 80’s riots started causing mass carnage and fear in the lives of many, Sri Lanka was divided never to be the same again. Houses stood in ruins, bodies lay where they were shot down as the people attempted to run for their lives, and people hid hoping their families would survive the night. Although this started in Colombo it continued almost 30 years later restricted to the north east region of the country. Though there have been several suicide attacks, bombings and destruction to the Colombo area in these past years affecting politicians, officials, journalists, and civilians alike. Civil war; a fight that ended up in a war against terror, children taken as child soldiers, families destroyed by constant shelling and bombings, people torn apart from their fellow countrymen, and a country unable to move forward and develop.                

I remember being there and hearing that the airport was attacked, living there as thousands died through suicide bomber attacks in Colombo city, and reading an email from my uncle who stood miraculously alive as others perished before his eyes on a railway platform in Colombo city. I saw a beautiful country which was hidden beneath the horrors and evils of war. I saw hope as people would stand together Tamil and Sinhalese; and Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist all saying let’s please stand for peace; as Sri Lankans. I saw no discrimination; our generation was suffering through an unwanted war of old and forgotten issues. We as Sri Lankans see hope, we see peace, and we see this beautiful country restored. This is a step by step process but today as the headlines tell us the war is over, we rejoice, and we thank God our prayers for our country have been answered. My prayer continues, a prayer for a fully united people, a prayer as a Christian that we allow God to work in our country and through the layers pull out that beautiful country we all see and love.

God is love. However redundant and overexposed this statement may be, the sense of immense fulfillment and beauty of its true meaning is never lost on a heart who hears with open ears for their first time.  

Every so often there are promises in the Word of God which pop out to us becoming reality. These past few months this simple but profound fact of God being love has been catching my attention. I always focus on faith, hope, and obedience and how God’s purpose in our lives unfold through our continued faith, obedience, and hope in Christ Jesus. As I was attending a Bible study on 1, 2, & 3 John, which happen to be books of the Bible focusing on God’s love and us allowing His love to work through us. The whole aspect of the love of God took on a whole new light.  We can not live, work, or play without allowing the meaning of God’s love worked out in our lives.  

The key to God’s love is how it plays a dramatic role in not only changing our lives but how His love is revealed through our lives. It seems as though He personalizes it just for us by saying, ‘His love perfected in us drives out all fear’. This is an explosive love. The barely visible ember ignites in the darkness, sudden, quick, and surprisingly blinding. A spark has caught onto something. Apparent translucent light is given off from what looks like a small flame. Without warning a noise like a million fireworks goes off shaking you to your core. In the same moment you realize blasts of orange, red, and yellow flames flicker and consume everything completely. I wonder is this how God’s powerful and explosively vibrant love drives out and consumes all our fears, anxieties, and sins from our life? It may be explosive and awesome and awe-inspiring when His Spirit first starts working and changing our lives but I think there is a little more to this…endurance. Yes, it is hard work allowing godly love to continuously work itself out in and through our lives. Never is anything easy but if we set our minds on the goal of what is important in life…the bigger picture, it may just be possible. I think on those days when we really don’t want to get out of bed to do our work, bother to help our coworker or friend, go the extra mile, show decency and respect in our relationships that’s when only godly love can work its best. It is also dependant on our willingness to grow in our walk with the Lord to allow His love to shine through.

Sometimes we have to go back to the basics my friends, a football coach may start training with the simple question; ‘do you know what a football is?’ So…Do you know what godly love is? Do you know how to live a godly life? Who are you living for…God or yourself? Do you remember what Christianity is all about? Hint – ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind and love your neighbor as yourself.’ [Luke 10:27] The concept of love is the basis and foundation of our whole faith. Without it we live a self-centered, fearful, misguided life. With it we live in redemption which colors our perspective in life. I want to live looking at life and at others through ‘redemption colored’ glasses.  

The simple truth which reverberates throughout the books of John and the entire Scripture is God’s love for humankind. This is His love reaching down, sending His only Son to save us. It is His love guiding us through our ups and downs. Always is His love washing away our sin, shame, and past regrets. It is God’s gracious love healing us. This is His love leading, directing and ordaining our every step. It is His love shining through us. Forever is His wonderful redeeming love changing us from the inside out.