Scripture
They said to themselves, “We’ll crush them!” Then they burned every one of your meeting places all over the country.
~Psalm 4:8, CEV
Quote
“God is God. Since He is God, He is worthy of my worship and service. I will find rest nowhere other than in His will and that will is infinitely beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.”
~Elisebeth Elliot
We live in a fallen world that is broken beyond our repair. This world is so fowled up that it doesn’t even recognize it’s Creator or Sustainer. Unfortunately, I am a part of the problem but by grace I can be a tiny part of the solution. By disobedience to Christ, I can make things worse: by obedience to my LORD and Savior, I can make things better. But I nor any other human, or group of humans can fix this world.
The Jews loved the Temple. Actually, they loved it more than they should; it became an idol and you know what God does to idols–He smashes them to pieces. The pagan Babylonians invaded Jerusalem and the Temple. They took axes and picks and totally destroyed the Temple. The Jews stood by helplessly: they could do nothing to stop the destruction of their Temple. This horror was beyond anything they had ever imagined. How could God allow such an horrendous tragedy to happen. These ignorant pagans believed by destroying the Temple and the places of worship; they could destroy the Jews God and their faith in Him. Can you imagine some country invading the United States and burning down every church house in the land? This is exactly what the Jews experienced.
I understand that suffering is the price we pay for original sin. Our parents brought sin, suffering, sorrow, shame and death into this world by their blatant disregard for God’s word and will. But there is no explanation for an eleven year old having cancer. I don’t have one and neither does anyone else–not even the know-it-all reforms. But I do know this–Jesus has supernatural and incredible power to transform these seemingly hopeless conditions. Jesus can bring light out of darkness, strength out of weakness, joy out of sorrow, glory out of shame, riches out of poverty, hope out of hopelessness and good out of bad.
I will never be at home in this world; not as it is presently. I can’t isolate myself from the pain of others and I am not be comfortable with sin, sorrow, shame and suffering. This world is broken beyond repair; at least in human terms. I can’t fix, President Trump can’t fix it, Franklin Graham can’t fix it. No mere human or group of humans can fix it but I do believe it can be fixed. JESUS CAN FIX IT!
Before you throw in the towel: think of the Crucifixion. They all walked away, nothing to say, they’d just lost their dearest friend. All that He said, now He was dead so this was the way it would end. The dreams they had dreamed were not what they’d seemed now that He was dead and gone. The garden, the jail, the hammer, the nail, how long would this darkness prevail? Folks, if He was able to bring glory out of the cross, He can bring glory out of our hopelessness and despair.
Pray for us as we help with Mrs. Annie Murphy’s COLS today.