It’s the morning news that wakes us at 6. And how distressing. Ten wild fires raging in California. A tornado hits a boy scout camp in west Iowa and injures 40, kills 4. Flood waters rage In Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and the Mississippi has shut down locks for miles because the waters are so high, and the crest is not yet. An entire lake washes away in moments, taking with it homes and living, and the man who sees his retirement home gone in a moment can only cry. While the East coast is sweltering with really unseasonable heat, and we on the Gulf Coast are just entering the hurricane season with forecasts of a coming Season filled with them.
With a mind filled with such news, I step out for my morning walk. There is calm, just a little breeze to make it pleasant. There are two walkers approaching, an owner is giving his dog a bit of exercise, otherwise I have the day to myself.
Serene, calm. Judging by what surrounds me now, I can hardly believe the unrest, turmoil, disaster is the lot of so many right this minute.
And then it strikes me. That is just when the trouble comes nearest in my spiritual life, when things seem to be going well, when all systems, as they say, are “go”.
The Apostle Paul came to mind. He was riding high. The temple authorities were all on his side, even gave him permission to go to other cities and do his business, which was persecuting Christians. Then it happened, and God took a direct hand in his life and turned him into one of God’s spokesmen for the entire region. And with that came pressure, persecution, unending trouble. How does he handle it? 2 Corinthians 4:8-11
“8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”
Then he says this, “Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” v.16.
So the outward signs may be terrible, yet, because Christ lives in me, the inward man is being renewed and strengthened day by day. This by the grace of God, who loved me and gave His Son to die for me. Today in Bible Study we fixed on this from Hebrews, “Fix your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of the faith.” Hebrews 12,1. And that, finally, is what brings us release from worry, because of His promises.
GPD 6/12/08
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