The wickedness of this world has been totally devastating me lately. I have been sorrowful and I have even cried. If you allow yourself to empathize with the families who have lost loved ones because of senseless acts of violence, you will indeed feel a burden that is too great to bear. Young children whose dads will not return home from duty, mothers whose children will never walk through the door again, friends and co-workers killed by bloodthirsty, pathetic men. It is an outrage and it should stop!
But, maybe it won’t. Maybe it will. What if it doesn’t? There is no true hope based on some future optimistic outcome whether from political policy, safety regulations or even winning a war. The world grasps at straws in their grief. One of the beautiful things about Christ is that He has given us something more than straw to hold onto.
The only true hope that I have found for my devastated heart is this: Jesus is the author of justice and He is coming back to make things right. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” — Revelation 21:4
Not only was this a blanket statement that He will wipe away tears, it is a statement of the extent of His forthcoming comfort. He will wipe away EVERY tear. He sees ALL the pain, ALL the hurt, and ALL the injustice. And He will make ALL things right.
I have heard it said that people can be too heavenly minded to do any earthly good. I would like to suggest that in times like these, I would have no hope apart from anticipating a heavenly ending. In your grief and wondering what to make of all of the pride, hate, and malice in the world, know this — King Jesus will make it right!
Until then, He will be using you and me to bring hope where there was none, light where there was only darkness and joy in the midst of distress.
United in Him,
Austin
Posted in A Word from the Pastor