When fear and terror are on the rise, people want honest answers on how to wisely live their lives. Our awareness and preparedness should never be allowed to displace our trust in Jesus as our Deliverer. However, He never wants us to become so naïve that we dismiss our current reality and its potential threats to live ignorantly dismissing what could happen.
To set up what I want to say requires that I present some personal background.
In 1992, I was asked to be part of a Los Angeles radio panel to discuss the aftermath of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. Later, after the 9-11 terror attack in New York, I was again invited to speak on a local radio station about what was taking place. These invitations came because of my background and previous experience with terrorism.
In the 1970s, Patty Hearst, the granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolf Heart, was kidnapped by the SLA (Symbionese Liberation Army). As the events of that kidnapping unfolded, we realized the kidnapping was part of a larger movement of associated domestic terror groups with which the SLA was affiliated.
Joseph Remiro and Russell Little, two of the founders of the SLA, were arrested for the murder of Marcus Foster in the San Francisco area. During their incarceration in Alameda County, an escape attempt took place but was foiled. The trial was moved to Santa Clara County in San Jose, California where I was working as a Deputy Sheriff. The move took place because we had previously constructed a high-security court facility because of the trial of Angela Davis. Because I was a SWAT officer, I was assigned to be one of the personal handlers for Remiro and Little. My interaction with them was a daily occurrence during their trial.
I was eventually assigned to OCCIS (Organized Crime and Criminal Information Section) as an intelligence agent in the unit. That assignment began after the California Department of Justice trained me in the field of Organized Crime.
As the trial of Remiro and Little progressed, a large group of domestic terrorists were recruited under court order to be flown to San Jose where they would be free to pass on information to each other through their attorneys. A group of dissident attorneys was hired who became messengers for the terrorists exchanging information with each other under the guise of attorney-client privilege.
We knew what was happening but could not prevent their meetings from happening because of the court order. But, Remiro and Little were eventually convicted and sent to prison. I was part of the SWAT team that transported them to separate prisons, San Quentin and Folsom.
My qualifications were radically changed in 1979 when I had a Damascus Road experience with Jesus. That experience did not dismiss what I knew. It added an element to my awareness that repositioned my trust in the Lord far above all my experience and training.
The two terror attacks that took place in recent days, one in New Orleans and the other in Las Vegas, took me back to those days when I interacted with terrorist actors. The similarities associated with the attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas are too obvious to dismiss out of hand. Those who know about these current domestic terrorist activities are warning us that more terror is coming to our nation. This is not a time to live in fear. It is a time to trust the Lord at a deeper level.
Terror has a unique influence. It happens by surprise and creates fear. No one strolling along Bourbon Street expected a terrorist to drive a truck through their peaceful gathering and kill people. The same was true for those standing just inside the Trump hotel lobby in Las Vegas when a Cybertruck created by Elon Musk exploded. The surprising and unexpected nature of these attacks creates fear and suspicion in an attempt to destabilize the nation’s population.
Few of us are trained and experienced in the realm of terrorism. What each follower of Jesus does possess is the capacity to trust the Lord. Our trust in Jesus can overcome the direst acts of terror. Our trust in the Lord is so powerful it will allow us to react to terror in ways not present in those who do not have that trust. All of us need to be aware of our surroundings but the greater weapon against the fear of terrorism is our trust in the Lord.
Be aware and prepared as best you can, but more importantly, trust the Lord. He will become our ultimate deliverer when the fear of terror has taken hold of our nation. Trust is our greatest weapon against evil.
“He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge”(Psalm 62:7-8).
Once again you hit the nail on the head Garris…
Blessings to you, your wife and family for this year.
May God continue to give you words of wisdom and insight to share us we navigate the times we are living in…
I’m Australian who knows that we have been born for a time such as this and I pray for God to guide each of us into deeper relationship with HIM so that we stand and then stand….