day no. 17,290: when surrounded by evil, remember, it's a target rich environment

"We’ve been looking for the enemy for some time now. We’ve finally found him. We’re surrounded. That simplifies things.” — Chesty Puller

The one benefit to being surrounded is that you don't have to waste time or resources finding the enemy. They have already done all that work for you. That frees you up to focus on firing away. Especially in the event of being surrounded, the decision of where to shoot it solved. Shoot anywhere and you are aiming at the enemy. Even a bad shot can hit the broad side of a barn and someone with bad aim can hit the enemy if the enemy is everywhere.

"All right, they’re on our left, they’re on our right, they’re in front of us, they’re behind us . . . they can’t get away this time.” — Chesty Puller

The enemy cannot escape your bullets when they positions themselves in every direction. Sure, you're surrounded, but at least its a target rich environment.

"The greater the diameter of light, the greater the circumference of darkness. Expanding this, if you are in a dark place, the more effective your light is, the greater the diameter of your light, the longer the boundary line between light and darkness grows. This means there is no way, in this fallen world, to solve problems without increasing them. Be encouraged therefore. This is not a sign that something has gone desperately, terribly wrong. No, it is sign of something else, much more exhilarating." — Douglas Wilson, The Circumference of Darkness

As the kingdom of Christ advances, the number of contact points with the darkness will increase. Do not lose heart. It only seems like the darkness is growing. But it is retreating to the corners and someday the light will fill the entire room.

Matthew 5:16

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven

So, don't stop shining as brightly as you can where you are. Do not be afraid of the dying night. It seems like sunset, but it is twilight. 

"Do not, I beseech you, be troubled about the increase of forces already in dissolution. You have mistaken the hour of the night; it is already morning.” — Hilaire Belloc

Do not forget how to tell time. Do not set your watch to world standard time, set it to Christ and the year of our Lord.

"So the brighter that light shines, the more opportunities the darkness has to say and do something about it. So as I said before, be encouraged therefore." — Douglas Wilson, The Circumference of Darkness

An increase in interaction is not a sign of their growing forces, but a sign of their imminent dissolution.

John 1:4-5 (ESV)

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The darkness has not, will not, and never will overcome the light and life of God revealed in Jesus Christ, our Lord, by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Amen.