Trial and Hope

I breathed a sigh of relief when the Congress finally passed a funding resolution on Saturday evening in the last hours, literally, before the government shut-down. Someone asked me, “Why do they do such things?”  Well, the political sphere, like the rest of America, is now completely polarized, a “win/loss” game on every single issue. Divided at 50/50 in our opinions and convictions, we no longer seem to be able to reach consensus.  We tend to 'see' the world through lens distorted by pre-conceptions and assumptions.  “They” are the bad guys and we can find no way to deal with ‘them.’ 

While watching 60 Minutes last night in a segment with Merrick Garland, the US Attorney General, I was struck with his humanity! Do I share his politics? Not generally, but in that interview I caught a glimpse of a real person who works hard at serving the country. (Some of you are now thinking, “Jerry, you got taken in, duped by the media.” And that is exactly the kind of polarization of which I am writing!)

More than a few Christians look at the world we live in and see only the awful, the terrible, and the sinful. To those who have such limited vision the whole world looks so bad, so terrible, that the only answer is to separate from it and wait for the End of Days. I believe that perspective blinds us to some of our great blessings and opportunities, and that 'woe is me' talk becomes self-fulfilling prophecy. There is much in our society that distresses me greatly.

• The issues surrounding race, which I hoped were becoming part of our history, are back and hatred is growing.

• The sexual promiscuity and celebration of immoral lifestyles that fills our music and media is a tragic and destructive force in America, crushing the foundations of family and home.

• The greed that shapes our industry, with wide gaps between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ is fertile soil for social unrest but we seem to find no way to addess the issue in a way that both cares for those in need and encourages thrift and hard work.   

• The decline of the church and the shallow emotionalism that is too often substituted for awesome worship of God is a source of sorrow for me as well.

BUT, this I believe whole-heartedly - "where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5.20 NIV) Christian, we cannot retreat to our caves wringing our hands in despair.  We have great opportunities presented to us by this age. Do you think that Paul had an easy time sharing the Gospel across the Roman Empire to hostile audiences? Of course, he did not.  He was faithful, prayerful, enduring and God was honored.

We need NEW VISION and GREAT FAITHFULNESS.

Are these the “Last Days” as some believe? I honestly do not know. I will not waste time debating the day of the dawn of the Great Tribulation or longing for the Second Coming of Christ. I do hold onto the promise of His return and hope for that Day, while work as if the world will continue for years to come! We cannot allow ourselves to retreat into Apocalyptic visions that let us detach from a needy world.

My ultimate hope for this world is in the return of Christ, the King. I believe that when He comes, as He promises, all of the visions of the prophets will be fulfilled. Who cannot long for the words of Malachi to come to pass? "But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the Lord Almighty." (Malachi 4:2-3, NLT) The promise of Christ’s return to usher in His Kingdom on earth is not an escapist vision borne out of fear and loathing of this world. It is the ultimate realization of a way of life that live even now. I am now living in the Kingdom of God. I have His Promises and have accepted His life. I will not wait for the Lord to appear in the sky to be about the King's business. Instead, I want to be about His work of salvation in my world right now.

Jesus told this story to teach us how to live -- "While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once." (Luke 19:11, NIV) Then, He went on to tell about three servants who were each entrusted with a part of a king's treasure to manage while he was away. Each one received an amount appropriate to his skills and abilities. When the king returned, after a long time, he called the servants in to give an accounting.

Here's part of the story. “Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ ”‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’" (Luke 19:15-17, NIV) But the last servant, the one only given one share, came in with nothing to report. This servant was in the grip of a pinched, narrow vision that did not see the opportunities. His fear made him a failure! “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth." (Luke 19:20, NIV) The king did not commend him! He roared his angry disapproval.

When my king returns, I want to stand before Him to report, "I gave the utmost, prayed for large vision, and used the grace gifts You invested in me for your glory. Lord, I have, by the Spirit's help, left the world a bit better than I found it." How about you?

Here's a word from the Word. It is set in the context of Jesus' visit to Samaria, which many of his fellow Jews regarded as a land and people beyond God's reach. His challenge to his disciple to take a second look is a challenge to us as we gaze on our world today - "I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time! “The Harvester isn’t waiting. He’s taking his pay, gathering in this grain that’s ripe for eternal life. Now the Sower is arm in arm with the Harvester, triumphant. That’s the truth of the saying, ‘This one sows, that one harvests.’ I sent you to harvest a field you never worked. Without lifting a finger, you have walked in on a field worked long and hard by others.” Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman’s witness: “He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!”" (John 4:35-39, The Message)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Days Of Elijah

 

These are the days of Elijah

Declaring the Word of the Lord

And these are the days

Of Your servant Moses

Righteousness being restored

And though these are days

Of great trials

Of famine and darkness and sword

Still we are the voice

In the desert crying

Prepare ye the way of the Lord

 

Behold He comes

Riding on the clouds

Shining like the sun

At the trumpet call

So lift your voice

It's the year of Jubilee

And out of Zion's hill

Salvation comes

 

And these are the days of Ezekiel

The dry bones becoming as flesh

And these are the days

Of Your servant David

Rebuilding a temple of praise

And these are the days of the harvest

The fields are as white in the world

And we are the labourers

In Your vineyard

Declaring the Word of the Lord

 

There is no god like Jehovah

There is no god like Jehovah

There is no god like Jehovah

There is no god like Jehovah (hey)

Robin Mark © 1996 Song Solutions Daybreak

CCLI License # 810055