Just Another Sleight of Hand...

So a mere 15 days ago it appeared that there may have been some hope of resolution in the drama that has occupied the last 525 days. But this turns out to be a mere mirage by the arch enemy himself played out in the hands of the unknowing at best, or the collaborators at worst. It seemed, 15 days ago,  that the walls of obstacle and division may have been crumbling slightly at the edges, just at the time when we were becoming used to the view of these and in some ways accepting of the reality that they would remain as they appeared. Now that mirage has been clarified, the image sharpens into clear focus and what was in play was just another attempt to divide further. The form of division comes with a price and the party involved was apparently just soothing their own conscience prior to moving forward in the lasted attempt to undermine the ministries in place. It is kind of like the classic move of throwing up the hands while declaring, "Okay, I give up" and then swinging with the hidden sap when the other's guard is dropped. As classic as that feint and attack maneuver is, it unfortunately still works against the trusting victim who is looking for an end to the hostilities. The role of vulture or hyena was well played and effective however, capturing the wounded, while the protector's eyes were adverted by the feigned attempt at reconciliation. They merely needed an opportunity, provided by the short absence of my family and the two week cancellation of the youth group. In the face of this "need" for a place for these poor youth who had been "abandoned", they found opportunity to move ahead their agenda of division and conquering. Without regard to the spiritual problem that they began with, or the continued denial of the validity and application of God's Word, they plod on...methodically striving to keep the appearance of "love" while committing the most treacherous and vile undermining and assassination of all that stand in their way. Like the proverbial foolish dog who bites the hand that feeds it, they have moved to the place of not only biting the hand, but also of developing an appetite for only hands, rather than the food the hand used to provide. And so, standing back and gazing at the still standing, reinforced wall of division and strife, perhaps still the only option available is to just accept the walls and continue work on the building the trenches of battle that seems destined to continue.