Duty (A Reply To Brother Andrew's Comments)

After reading brother Andrew's post, and your comments to said post, I realized what I guess I've known all along, that many of you share his concerns, uncertain of what exactly you should do knowing what is about to descend upon this nation. To be perfectly honest, I have shared the same concerns myself.
Although I cannot make a general pronouncement concerning the question 'should we stay or should we flee?', after spending some time in prayer I feel I can at least give an answer to brother Andrew's inquiries.
First, let me begin by saying I do not consider myself a courageous man, I consider myself committed. I do not consider myself valiant or bold, I consider myself steadfast and resolute. To me it all boils down to duty, and it is due to the fact that I am duty bound that I do what I do. It is why I fight, it is why I speak, it is why I stand. The strength or number of my adversaries does not concern me, my only concern is that I am faithful in fulfilling what has been asked of me, that I fight in defense of truth and righteousness.
From reading brother Andrew's heartfelt post, I perceived that as many of you, he has been called to active duty. God has already established a specific assignment for him, and these are no times to be absent without leave.
I have heard of many who were called to be watchmen, who were called to blow the trumpet, who then took it upon themselves to leave their post without authorization. It is not something that God looks upon kindly, or takes lightly. Now, when the saints should be marching, doing battle against the darkness that threatens to stifle the light, it seems they are in full retreat verging on surrender.
Brother Andrew also mentioned a passage in proverbs that speaks of the prudent man seeing evil and hiding himself, but we must take into account that it was neither speaking of a soldier, or a servant, it was speaking in the generality of wise men and foolish men. A soldier no longer has the option to flee the evil when he sees it, he must stand and do battle against it. It is why we have been called, chosen, equipped and sanctified.
As far as Zarephath is concerned, I believe the message that God was relaying had to do more with total dependence, reliance and obedience, rather than a physical place somewhere in Lebanon. Remember that after his experiences in Zarephath, with the widow woman, the Bible tells us that Elijah went a day's journey into the wilderness, and even there, with no widow woman around to bake him a pancake, with no supermarket or convenience store, God still provided for him.
In this hour God is attempting to teach His chosen reliance on Him, rather than self-reliance, dependence on Him, rather than dependence on the things we own or the things we can buy. Above all else, He is attempting to bring us to that place of total obedience, wherein we will do as He commands, whether we are called to go into the wilderness, or stand and fight for the truth.
When we choose to obey, we know that God will take care of the rest, when we choose to depend on Him, we see His hand performing miracles.
I believe with all my heart that as the day approaches, some will be told to go to a new place, while others will be told to remain where they are. Wherever we are sent, wherever God would have us, it is in His perfect will that we will find safety, security, and shelter from the storms that will soon descend.
I know I may offend some of you, who take the scripture in Revelation 18 literally, wherein God's people are told to come out of Babylon, that they not share in her plagues, but I believe that the verse has to do more with our spiritual exodus from Babylon, its way of thinking, its practices and aspirations rather than a physical exodus. If we were to believe that only by fleeing an entire continent would God be able to protect us, we would liken God to a blind man who trying to swat a fly, overturns and breaks anything not nailed down. Remember Goshen in the midst of Egypt, and take heart, remember the blood on the door posts and be encouraged. The plagues did not come near their dwellings, and the angel of death, merely passed by.
As I said before, yes, I have my concerns, yes, I sometimes wonder, but in the end I've learned to trust my God, my Father, my Savior, the One who has never let me down, the one who has never abandoned or forsaken me.
As for you my brother Andrew, my fellow soldier in God's army, you are duty bound to obey, and my prayer today is that you cast your cares, your fears, and your worries, upon the Lord. He is faithful from age to age.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.