Don’t Just Live with it
If national or international crises are cause for alarm, it appears that we will always remain in an alarmed state. If its not one country its that country that is fighting. If it isn’t this catastrophe its that catastrophe. If it isn’t a terrorist it’s a shooting. And closer to home, taxes and inflation spiral out of control and the cost of living threatens economic disaster.
Now, the first thought is to just flee from it all. And certainly we would not be the first to think of doing that. In Psa. 55:5‐6, we are told “Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” David yearns to escape his situation. He is full of anguish, fear and horror. He is emotionally paralyzed as he thinks about the present evil. And, he realizes that he is weak and helpless and that his heart is beating like the heart of a woman in labor. He wants to fly like a dove, away from the noise of hate, confusion, evil and anarchy. And, while that sounds good, we cannot live on vacation.
During the days of the transfiguration (Matt. 17:1‐9), when the Lord ascended the mountain and was glorified before his death, Peter wanted to build three tabernacles which may also indicate that he did not want to go back down the mountain, at least, not for a while. But, God stopped his speech (vs. 5) and soon after they did come back down the mountain and Jesus died, giving a new view of life to dying men everywhere.
When we consider our Master, Jesus did not learn to live with the world. He overcame it (Jn. 16:33)! And, this is part of our problem if we live with the world when God offers us the opportunity in Christ to overcome it (1 Jn. 4:1‐5). We must realize that Jesus knew God and he could use the world for God’s glory and at the same time not become a part of the world. Likewise, our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20) because we only live here for a moment (Jam. 4:14). Sure the world has its problems, but we as Christians, know of a place where there are no problems (Rev. 21:1‐7). And, while the world says this is crazy talk, remember, they told that to Jesus too.
Thinking about heaven can become a form of escaping this world. But, what really escapes this world is believing that God raised Jesus from the dead, confessing that He is the Christ and that repenting and being immersed in water is necessary to have the blood of Christ remove our sins and add us to His church. It is then we can live faithfully to him so when judgment comes, Christ gives us a home with Him. But until then, our faith in God’s future for us gives us strength for victorious living now so we don’t just live with the world. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world!