In The Midst

Its everywhere.  With each new bend comes another story of loss and heartache, of the agonizing question “why?!”  Like the ocean’s tide so comes tragedy these days. In waves upon waves, thrashing their pain on the helpless shore.  A mother’s arms empty as she walks behind a tiny hearse.  A grandparent gone too soon from sudden cancer.  Wars waged.  Jobs lost.  Lives lost.  So many lives lost.  Whether by lack of breath or lack of hope, death’s dirge plays all around.  We are the walking wounded. We are the walking dead.

“What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?” (L. Story)

These days of overwhelming darkness shows the radiant light of Jesus all the more.  How desperately we need Him!  How our broken world needs Him!!  Nothing has assured me more of the hopeless state of our planet and the true hope, the ONLY hope, that can be found: Christ and Christ alone.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”  Revelation 21:3-4

Come quickly, Lord!  Bring pain to its final end!  Oh for that day when mothers no longer grieve with empty arms, when bodies remain unravaged by disease.  When peace finally comes: true and eternal.  Rest assured of His coming!  The Prince of Peace, the King above every king, the Redeemer.  The Lamb of God who was slain for the sins of the world.  Jesus.

But what till then?  Until that glorious day comes when He returns for His own…oh beloved reader…do you know Him??  Jesus.  The Son of Heaven brought low in earthly form who lived a perfect life and died an undeserved death so that WE, born imperfect, slaves of sin and bound to die a deserved death, could have LIFE!  Not just in eternity before the holy and righteous Creator God but now!  In the midst of all the pain, the injustice, the sorrow.  Jesus Christ and Him alone has bought our peace for now!  Sorrow comes as surely as the tide rolls in but we can mourn as those WITH HOPE!  I speak as one who has walked death’s valley, met sorrow upon sorrow, and in EVERY instance have found Him faithful with comforting strength as sure as the dawn.

Though these may seem like hopeless times…
Though darkness creeps in…
Though the inexplicable occurs and we are simply left with asking “why”…

Because of Jesus, we need not be hopeless.  We need not be alone.

“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him and by His scourging we are healed.”  Isaiah 53:4-5

Do you know Him?