d-day

today is the 67th anniversary of d-day, the crucial invasion of nazi-occupied france by allied forces during world war II. a 12,000-plane aerial attack paved the way for the largest amphibious assault in history -- nearly 160,000 troops ferried by some 7,000 vessels. it was a costly undertaking -- 12,000 allied casualties, 2,000 lost aircraft. you can see cool animated maps describing the invasion here. d-day was a decisive victory, perhaps the event that ensured final victory. but it was not the end of the war which raged on for another year.

d-day is also an important theological symbol. oscar cullman first employed the image to offer insight into the already/not yet nature of the kingdom of God. the bible teaches that the kingdom arrived with Jesus, who exercised powerful, tranforming, kingly authority over everything he came into contact with -- sin, sickness, nature, and of course, people. yet evil remains in the world, and sometimes it even appears to have the upper hand. how is that possible?

this is where cullman is helpful. he noted that world war II had not one ending but two in europe -- d-day (june 6, 1944) was the day that the victory was assured; v-e day (may 7, 1945) was when nazi germany finally surrendered -- the final victory. in between those two key days was some of the fiercest fighting of the war -- after an allied triumph was assured, but before surrender and the cessation of combat. apparently, a defeated enemy can be an especially dangerous one, and that should be instructive for those of us who celebrate the d-day of Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. those were the events that assured the final victory; that is not in question. but there is still an active battle against a dangerous (albeit defeated) enemy. for those of us who live between the times, there's still a war to fight; spiritual carelessness is both foolish and potentially lethal. of course, our battle is not against flesh-and-blood, but against spiritual principalities and powers. people are never the enemy; they are all deeply loved by God, who gave his life for them; if we have his heart, we will love them as he did -- by laying down our lives.

lighthouse is in the third day of a weeklong season of concerted prayer. we're meeting every morning at 7am to worship and intercede together. some are fasting. many are bringing critical needs. all of us have recognized major battlefronts in our church family -- life-threatening illnesses, marital discord (to the brink of divorce), unusually difficult conflict between parents and children, direct spiritual attacks on youth (including eating disorders and some overt oppression by evil spirits) -- and have determined to join our hearts and voices to seek God earnestly. the turnout has been encouraging -- 30-35 people for each of the last three mornings -- and people are spiritually hungry and even desperate. could this be the proverbial cloud the size of a man's hand? recognizing that we live between the times, we're praying for more 'already': your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (matthew 6:10).

this is my Father’s world. o let me ne’er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
this is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
and earth and heav’n be one.