It’s Time to Draw a Line in the Sand

By Karen Friday

I’m chilled to the bone. In my neck of the woods here in Northeast Tennessee, a winter storm of snow and frigid temperatures has set in.

A beautiful snowy backdrop with blankets, hot chocolate, and my laptop should have brought a surge of writing ideas for my weekly blog. Instead, I have struggled with words to share as I try to remain cozy, comfy, and warm.

Recalling my original intent for writing and blogging: On this site you will find my love for God’s word, expressing scriptural truths as life happens. Real. Authentic. Soulful.

So here it is—what’s stirring in my heart as life is happening right now: I. Am. Chilled. To. The. Bone. There’s a much bigger storm at large. A worldview has set in bringing an icy, cold-hearted assault on the family unit, the sanctity of marriage, and Christian beliefs.

A cultural war is here (in everyone’s neck of the woods) between Christ-followers and non-believers of Jesus Christ.

The depravity of the unthinkable is playing on the movie screen in theaters across the country. The perversion during prime time when children and families are watching television. The degeneracy of music lyrics at the top of the charts. And the worst: the heinous, gut-wrenching murders of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.

Because I have read truthful and wonderfully penned articles on these high profile subjects, I chose to remain voiceless (until now) and applaud the efforts of others who shared my sentiments. Great men and women of the faith who have drawn a distinct line in the sand. (There are those in our culture, government, and world who refuse to draw them.)

I am no longer cozy and comfy remaining voiceless in these bone-chilling days. I don’t know about you, but it’s been a while since I had that warm, fuzzy feeling inside. There’s a bone-chilling-worldview of screaming voices promoting blatant immorality and villainous acts of callous blood shed.

• Blatant immorality: The book and recent movie, Fifty Shades of Grey, is an atrocity to God’s creation of the sexual union between a husband and wife. Scriptural truths: God created man and woman in his image . . . “And God blessed them” (Genesis 1:27-28 AMP). This blessing connects relationships between men and women with God and makes them spiritual and holy in nature. Sex in a God-covenant marriage is a beautiful and soul-tying experience; and is a far cry from the sadistic and perverted portrayal in this movie and in our culture. There are many undrawn lines in the sand—popular secular music lyrics discuss “blurred lines; if you save yourself for marriage, you’re a bore; if you won’t drink and ‘do’ then you’re a prude, when the straight and narrow gets a little too straight.” There are X-rated lyrics as well. We are steeped in a culture of X-rated. Recently, The American Family Association sent an action-alert asking members to file a complaint with the FCC about a Fox Network broadcast of the show, Family Guy. The episode was a “humorous” take on a character who committed statutory rape with a girl in high school. It’s amazing what people think is funny. The graphic content was bone-chilling. It’s time to draw a line in the sand. 
• Villainous acts of callous blood shed: Martyred Christians, the persecuted church, and the repulsive murders ISIS continues to get away with is bone-chilling. It’s time to draw a line in the sand. Let me repeat. It’s time to draw a line in the sand. Let’s send out an action-alert. Pray. And then pray more. Pray for our government and our president to draw a line in the sand. The underground church has been persecuted and slaughtered at the hands of cold-hearted men for years. ISIS is a wake-up call to draw a line in the sand. The news reports and images are of graphic content. Scriptural truths: “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death” (Revelation 12:11 ESV). The blood of martyrs will be avenged by the sovereign Lord (Revelation 6). “The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man” (Psalm 11:4 ESV).

What are your action-alerts? What can we do in this bone-chilling world? Pray. Sign petitions. File complaints. Do not be cozy and comfy remaining voiceless.

It’s time to draw a line in the sand. 

© 2015 by Karen Friday