Yesterday, ISIS released a new propaganda video threatening New York City. Scenes of a man strapping a bomb to himself amidst flashes of Times Square and other crowded streets were in the clip, making us the second city to be "targeted" in the United States, behind D.C. As my roommate and I watched the video, a rush of fear and anger took over my body. I could feel my face losing a little color as I noticed familiar street scenes not far from our apartment. "It was only a matter of time," I thought, with the realization that I was no longer living in my safe small town finally settling in. News anchors moved quickly, explaining possible risks, actions being taken to make the city more secure. Scenes from the aftermath of the Paris attacks this past weekend kept flooding the screen and eventually it all got to be too much. I had to clear my head and remember truth in the midst of all these facts.
We live in a fallen world.
"...the enemy comes only to steal and kill and destroy," but Jesus came "...that [we] might have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)
I was tempted to let the fear get comfortable inside of me. It would have been easy to stay on the couch and watch the news all night, filling my head with worry and my heart with doubt. Isn't that what the enemy wants to happen? To paralyze with fear and keep us from hoping or noticing good? To keep us inside, too scared to go out and live? This just fired me up. I serve the God of the universe and he has already overcome this world. (16:33) I have no fear because LOVE casts it out and when I remain in love, I remain free from the chains of this world.
So you know what I decided to do instead? Ice skate.
The Rockefeller Ice Skating Rink just opened last month and I won't be here for the official tree lighting, so it seemed like the absolute best time to do it. Plus, it was the last day before the official "season," so it was less expensive and there were little to no people! (It was also 10:30pm at night...) Thankfully, my friends are just as spontaneous as I am so a few of us met up and skated until they kicked us off the rink. It was amazing. There is something about taking hold of fear and saying "Yes, I see you but you're not going to keep me from living a full life." Afterwards we were sore and a little sweaty, but we felt alive...
I'd say we handled the news pretty well.
We live in a fallen world.
"...the enemy comes only to steal and kill and destroy," but Jesus came "...that [we] might have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)
I was tempted to let the fear get comfortable inside of me. It would have been easy to stay on the couch and watch the news all night, filling my head with worry and my heart with doubt. Isn't that what the enemy wants to happen? To paralyze with fear and keep us from hoping or noticing good? To keep us inside, too scared to go out and live? This just fired me up. I serve the God of the universe and he has already overcome this world. (16:33) I have no fear because LOVE casts it out and when I remain in love, I remain free from the chains of this world.
The Rockefeller Ice Skating Rink just opened last month and I won't be here for the official tree lighting, so it seemed like the absolute best time to do it. Plus, it was the last day before the official "season," so it was less expensive and there were little to no people! (It was also 10:30pm at night...) Thankfully, my friends are just as spontaneous as I am so a few of us met up and skated until they kicked us off the rink. It was amazing. There is something about taking hold of fear and saying "Yes, I see you but you're not going to keep me from living a full life." Afterwards we were sore and a little sweaty, but we felt alive...
I'd say we handled the news pretty well.