There is a shadow over our land, spiritual darkness.  It is of such a nature as to dull the senses to the reality of our disobedience against God and our mistreatment of our neighbor.  Some people are aware that there is a problem, but most are distracted to such a degree that sin and God's solution to sin is not even an echo from a distant past. 

It is into this that we have been sent -- to break the senses, to reveal spiritual darkness, to recite the specter of despair and hopelessness.

It is the most amazing thing, this boldness to proclaim the Word of God in all power and grace, truth and mercy, when the Word is exactly what the world doesn't want to hear.  Our neighbor is likely unaware of the urgency of this message.  Not so?  Let me ask.  Are those claiming and proclaiming the name Jesus rejected, made fun of, mocked, ridiculed, excluded, presumed intellectually dishonest, threatened, falsely accused of abuse, ignored, and ostracized in the minds eye of many, if not the community itself?  Indeed!  And yet God calls and God sends His children to do His bidding into the most unexpected places: the temple, the gateway, the shopping mall, the grocery story, the schools, the courts, the social gatherings, the hallways, the kitchen, the living room, the work room -- where ever we find ourselves.   

Speaking the Word in these places, there is another shadow cast.  It is a shadow that covers our iniquities, disobedience, dishonesty and grants healing and restoration of body and mind and soul. It is a shadow against which death itself has no strength. It is the shadow of the cross that addresses hopelessness with true hope, despair with glory, and shame with joy.  Under this shadow, God would that all walk that one-day there will be no shadow at all.

It is an amazing thing, this boldness to proclaim the Word of God.