I’ve Had It With Bad News!
The last couple of days I had to take a break. To be honest, I’ve had it with bad news. Now I don’t want to ignore what is going on around us. We are no doubt living in a very serious time, experiencing a pandemic of epic proportions, the loss of life is something that is heartbreaking. Yet in the midst of this,I wondered if there was a word from the Lord? I found one:
May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant with hope. Romans 15:13 (PHILLIPS)
This is a word that does not negate anything that is going on, rather it is a prayer, a simple prayer, a heartfelt prayer, prayed by someone who believed God would do just that. When the Apostle Paul wrote this, not only was he experiencing all kinds of testing ad trials and persecutions, but so were fellow believers. Yet, Paul had learned one thing since he came to faith, that it was essential that we learn to trust in the God of our salvation, to work out the details of our life. Since coming to faith in Jesus Christ, Paul was no longer led by his intellect, rather he was led by the Holy Spirit. This kept him "getting back up again". No matter what he experienced in one city or region, he kept going. He kept proclaiming this risen Savior that he had once persecuted.
I love the PHILLIPS translation for this verse, for it ends by letting us know that if we are filled with the God of hope that we will experience joy and peace in our faith; but also that our ‘whole life and outlook (may be) radiant with hope". This is what got my attention. This is what I need today. Not just a faraway hope for heaven, but a right now, today, hope in my entire life and outlook. My waking up, breathing, walking, talking day needs to have hope that as I pray against this virus continuing to wipe out lives, that a reverse will occur! That the line showing fatalities will not only flatten, but there will be no need to chart, for the coronavirus will dissipate!
Projections of this virus lasting until the end of the year, and the possible effects that could have not only our nation, but the entire world would naturally make anyone feel if not afraid, certainly sad. Yet I have lived to see God perform miracles, and I choose to believe that the God of hope will do a miracle in our day!
The Word of God is filled with scriptures to build up our most holy faith, let us as the people of God rally around what God has promised, and see the salvation of the Lord in our day in such a way that the world will be astounded.
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2 Corinthians 1:20 (KJV)
Maria