Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Dark
No Matter How Dark the Days
Christ’s Light Shines Each Day
Psalm 13:2
How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
John 16:33
I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!’
Words of Grace For Today
It is good to know that Jesus has won the war, because our enemies certainly seem to be winning a lot of battles, even when I refuse to fight any battles.
Now the Psalmist knows exactly what it is like, not just for me, but for so many people through the generations: our enemies seek the destruction of whatever and whomever gets in their way in order that they can pretend to be powerful, powerful enough to make their way without God. Once they start to ‘win’ by destroying others, they seem not to be able to stop.
This is the persecution that followers of Christ have faced in every generation.
Our hope is sure. Christ has conquered the world, and more so, Christ has conquered death!
What is a series of battles lost, when life eternal awaits us? Certainly we can survive …
though today in the middle of these huge losses, it feels more like the world comes to an end, at least for us already today.
Thank God, we are not on our own.
Through all our pain and sorrow, through all our persecution, we know we are not alone.
God is with us.
With God we can hope to survive these trials and persecutions.
With God we can hope with a sure hope that ALL God’s promises will come to pass, including that our enemies will be defeated, not by their defeat. Rather by the Holy Spirit transforming them into followers of Christ.
In the end, since Christ has conquered death and the world, everyone wins. Finally we will win, in God’s way of giving life abundant for all. We win life now and eternally.
For today we pray, and struggle to remain filled with gratitude.