What’s going on? What’s New? Exciting? Scary?
Last night was the first minor storm of the New Year, and thousands around me were without power. But I’m toasty and comfortable. Of course, the weather woke me at 12:30 a.m. with the wind blowing on the back of the house, and it sounded like someone was yelling and throwing rocks. It kept me awake for awhile and I fell asleep on the couch.
The college football championship was played and lost by my favored team.
Headlines get me to pay attention, but nothing draws me to read the details.
Oh, and I accomplished my morning routine of reading, thinking, and studying without any fanfare.
I guess nothing special is happening in my world, but if the truth were felt, there’s much to be concerned about. Worldwide, thousands and millions suffer through earthquakes, storms, war, and personal crises that make their world less settled than mine. Can I say I’m immune? No. Suffering affects all of us. It’s like that airplane that lost a door plug a few days ago. The ripple effect of the reaction affected travelers everywhere! The mountain passes closed down due to weather, and vital supplies creep to a halt.
Somewhere, someone is suffering.
We live in lightning-fast communication. Before you know it, the whole world knows it.
But imagine the times when the fastest communication was to tell someone individually across the backyard fence or in the town square. That was part of my Bible reading this morning and I’ve thought about it for several hours.
When blinded on the road to Damascus, Paul was unaware of his future. But one teacher in town was made aware of all that Paul would suffer on his new road. (Acts 9:16)
Though Jesus told His disciples what the future would hold, they could not comprehend. (Matthew 16:21-23)
Jesus tells us through prophecy, and Paul teaches with similar examples. There is a day coming when the suffering is greater than we can imagine. The words seem simple, but the times will be harder for us to take unless we can see it coming. (Matthew 24, 1 Thessalonians 4, etc.)
This gives me a moment of pause. How many times have these words of Jesus and Paul seem to be coming true? But we know it’s not time yet for them to be fulfilled.
In the midst of any trouble you know about and the times that are happening elsewhere, perhaps you need a comfortable scripture to help you through.
In one of the songs of ascents (Psalms 120-134), the psalmist encourages us to look past the suffering. There is hope. Promise. Deliverance.
A Song of Ascents.
I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
(Psalms 121:1-8 NKJV)
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