Relentless Optimism

“The End of the world is coming!”  At least that is the underlying theme of so much news.  Exaggeration distorts our view of the world, our understanding of the future.  Supposedly the United States faces a ‘fiscal cliff’ in the next few days, the implication being that if we go over it, a terrible fate will befall us. No, not really.  Our taxes will go up and government spending will go down.   Life will change;  and . . .   we will adjust and go on.  But, the media hypes the story scaring people half to death.  

We are regularly treated to headlines about the worst storm in history or the deadliest drug every made  (3 died in all of America), or – you know what I’m talking about. This crisis reporting invades the minds of Christians and some buy it with devastating results to their faith.  The end of Christianity has been predicted again and again; yet, millions are coming to Christ every year in African nations, in China, and in Latin America.  Even here in the US, the way we practice our faith is changing, but Christianity is a long way from becoming extinct.  I’m not proclaiming the mission as accomplished; not by a long stretch.  Many indicators of the health of Christianity, especially in the West, are showing us how much work we have to do in order to hand off a living faith to the next generation.  The battle is not over, but it is not lost, either.

God is at work in circumstances in ways we cannot see at the moment; even in the not-so-great ones.  He can take the horrible consequences of sin and speak to the world through them. C. S. Lewis called suffering “God’s megaphone.”  Paul, the apostle, found himself in the grip of the Romans, imprisoned.  He could not travel to preach.  His ability to interact with others to share the Gospel of Christ was severely curtailed.  Terrible, right?  In a sense, yes. But, he realized that something amazing was happening   because of his suffering and restriction.  He wrote of it, "Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." (Philippians 1:12-14, NIV)  

His guards were drawn from Caesar’s own elite troop, sons of nobility from across the Empire. These young men were standing in Paul’s presence, day in and day out, and they were getting converted!  Many would never had been exposed to the message of Christ in any other way.  Best of all, when they left service, they would head home to plant the seeds of this new faith in their regions. God had a purpose in the prison.  Not only that, but the preachers of lesser influence gained courage to speak out when they saw Paul’s deep faith.   What Paul did not know, but which we see clearly, was that the long stretches of confinement, during which he could only communicate with the churches through letters, provides us much of our New Testament. Those letters were inspired, preserved, and teach us how to live for Christ.  Without prison, we would not have them!

What are you going through today?  Is it the ‘worst,’ ‘the end of the world?’   Have you decided that is the reason to just lay down and quit? I am not minimizing your difficulties as I write this.  I am encouraging you to stay faithful, to keep faith, and to be intentional about asking God how He can use it to make Himself known: to you, to your world.  Some become cynical with age, seeing only the terrible, the failing, and the sad. I am relentlessly optimistic!  If you know me, you know that does not mean that I lack an ability to see things clearly or that I choose to live in denial of reality.  I see them and I weep.  Some nights I ache with fatigue, others I find it hard to sleep.  There are days when there is no end in sight.  But, "I have no regrets. I couldn’t be more sure of my ground—the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what he’s trusted me to do right to the end. So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It’s as sound as the day you first heard it from me. Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us." (2 Timothy 1:12-14, The Message)

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The Power Of Your Love

Lord, I come to You;

Let my heart be changed, renewed,

Flowing from the grace

That I found in You.

And, Lord, I've come to know

The weaknesses I see in me,

Will be stripped away-

By the pow'r of Your love.

Lord, unveil my eyes,

Let me see You face to face;

The knowledge of Your love

As You live in me.

Lord, renew my mind

As Your will unfolds in my life,

In living ev'ry day-

By the pow'r of Your love.

Hold me close,

Let Your love surround me.

Bring me near,

Draw me to Your side.

And as I wait-

I'll rise up like the eagle!

And I will soar with You,

Your Spirit leads me on,

In the pow'r of Your love.

Geoff Bullock

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