Hearing the news earlier this month of the Assad regime’s barbaric attacks against its own citizens in Syria burdened me with grief. These people have endured tremendous pain over the last seven years, with precious lives being taken by terrorists and by the very leaders they should be able to count on to protect them.
But this past Friday, watching America and its allies’ efforts to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons gave me comfort to know that the free world is using its military strength to defend innocent people from further acts of evil.
The horror we’ve seen unfold in the Middle East should drive us to our knees to pray for our brothers and sisters there and for every soul desiring to live a free and peaceful life. This isn’t simply a physical war with despots fighting for power and control. This is a spiritual battle, with the devil repeatedly trying to establish a foothold in the very region of the world where Christ came and set us free.
So make no mistake, we can’t turn on our television sets and continue to think of this as only Syria’s problem. It is always our responsibility to defend life wherever it’s threatened by thugs and cowards. As followers of Christ, it’s our job to lend a helping hand in every corner of the globe, whether that be physically or spiritually. I’m proud of the leadership America has shown over the weekend and I’m interceding in prayer on behalf of the Syrian people every day until they can once again live in peace.
Jentezen Franklin is the senior pastor of Free Chapel, a multi-campus church. Franklin is a New York Times best-selling author and winner of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Mantle of Destiny Award for his efforts on racial reconciliation. His latest book, Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt, just released in March.
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