I am probably sounding like a broken record….. For the last two years, I have shared comments about the transformative changes that have occurred in our country and globally. Most of these changes have been negative, including inflation, trying to make sense of the COVID experience without having information shared by government and researchers to preclude such a future event or to explain the real risks our citizens experienced, Russia invading Ukraine, China threatening Taiwan, and an unchecked US southern border just to mention a few issues.
Now, our country will soon enter another political campaign for leadership of our country. Let’s see where we stand right now for this event. The clear leader of each of the two main political parties at this moment would be in their 80s if elected President next year. There are serious concerns about both candidates regarding their physical and mental health, potentially draconian legal charges already being faced by one candidate and potentially also facing the other leading candidate. There are plenty of alternates to these candidates already having announced their candidacy, and even more waiting in the wings for the right time to jump into the Presidential race. How can we ever be expected to pick the best person to lead our country for the next four years in this situation?
Then there is also all the recent buzz about how artificial intelligence (AI) will soon take over our world. The buzz says that AI will replace many workers and also make many decisions that historically have been made by human beings. Of course, there are many benefits that can result from AI but we also need to be very concerned about the potential negative impacts of AI on our country and world. How can we ever find comfort in a world where many of the decisions are made by a faceless computer with no soul? The future indeed keeps feeling more insecure.
Then I read the Day 64 devotional in my new Max Lucado book titled Calm Moments for Anxious Days. The title of this specific devotional is It’s Going to Turn Out Alright. Here is what Max had to share in this message.
Matthew 14:27 – “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here.”
God’s call to courage is not a call to naivete or ignorance. We aren’t to be oblivious to the overwhelming challenges that life brings. “We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it” (Hebrews 2:1 NASB). Do whatever it takes to keep your gaze on Jesus.
When a friend of mine spent several days in the hospital at the bedside of her husband, she relied on hymns to keep her spirits up. Every few minutes, she stepped into the restroom and sang a few verses of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” Do likewise! Memorize Scripture. Read biographies of great lives. Ponder the testimonies of faithful Christians. Make the deliberate decision to set your hope on him.
As followers of God, you and I have a huge asset. We know everything is going to turn out alright. Christ hasn’t budged from his throne, and Romans 8:28 hasn’t evaporated from the Bible. Our problems have always been his possibilities.
Feed your fears, and your faith will starve. Feed your faith, and your fears will starve.
Max’s summary – We know everything is going to turn out all right. That’s the promise of Romans 8:28. But it’s hard to remember when all the possibilities of what could go wrong are swirling around us. When fear is plentiful, let’s fix our gaze on Jesus and remember this:
Romans 8:28 – We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
The Lord is in control. He knows how it all turns out. And he promised it will be very good. He will give me the courage to keep going and the hope to hold on.
No matter how hopeless things may seem today in your personal world or in the world order, remember these words. Pastor Don used this same scripture of Romans 8:28 to end his sermon two weeks ago. It is one of the most important verses in all the Bible because it provides our ultimate hope and trust in His Word.
Please note that Cindy and I will be out of town the next two weeks on a family vacation so I will not be sharing messages during that time. I look forward to sharing one again as soon as we return.