Keeping Our Eyes On What Is Certain, During Uncertain Times
By Rev. Ron Mahler
So often in life we sweat the "little stuff," isn’t that right? Things like: How are we going to get through another winter on the budget we have? Why are my children saying words they shouldn’t be saying - since school started? Why do I feel like I am always taking two-steps back in my search for happiness in life? When will we ever be able to afford to buy a real (fill in the blank!) that doesn’t keep breaking down? See what I mean – little stuff! And right about now, you are saying: "Are you crazy? That’s not little stuff!!" Well, I would have to agree with you – on one condition: it depends on whose perspective you are looking at these kinds of challenges from! To borrow a spiritual image from the gospels – sometimes we "strain out gnats" and "swallow camels" in terms of the things that life throws at us. I know people who try to avoid the smallest of trials and mess-ups in life, but who at the same time, are unable to see and avoid the more consequential and obvious ones coming their way. Then there are those concerns that are applicable to all of us - universally. We are entering a fall season, where washing our hands, coughing into our sleeve, getting a flu shot, and eating right will be more important than ever, as we attempt to keep our sicknesses from spreading. Our schools, businesses, governments, and other institutions are all ready it seems, to combat a possible pandemic of "swine flu," should it occur in various places in Canada. From reading the paper, reports tell us that the Afghanistan War is getting worse, more bodies of our brave soldiers are being sent home via the "Highway of Heroes," Iran is talking nasty again, Israel is strangely quiet – hhmm??, and Barack Obama – America’s promising, hopeful leader of the future – is seeing his honeymoon with the nation and world – setting on the political horizon somewhat. Talk about an uncertain future! And I didn’t even get to all bad stuff yet!
Here’s where I must interject by painting some biblical sanity and hope onto what is a very nefarious looking canvas of the world, and the future! Remember the account of David and Goliath in the Old(er) Testament? What a story! I like stories about underdogs. That’s because – maybe like you, I often feel like one. David, before he was the king of Israel, took a pretty impressive step towards that throne, by slaying the 9 foot Philistine monster - with a stone and a sling shot – and that, with perhaps one stab at it! David made his shot count! Yet what always sticks out to me about his victory was not how great it was - in terms of the size difference between him and Goliath -- it was his faith! let’s face it - things did not look good for David. The militaristic, not to mention, the physical odds - were against him, and Israel. If David missed, and Goliath grabbed a hold of him, well – I will spare you what the eventual, gory outcome would have been for the boy - and his nation. However, that did not happen. Why? – because David was God’s man – who was able to face the battle by trusting and leaning on the Lord’s faithfulness. How do we know that? In 1 Samuel 17: 45 – David confidently evangelizes to Goliath, "I come against you in the name of the Lord...whom you have defied...Today...the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel...all those gathered here will know...that the Lord saves; for the battle is (His)." What great words! What great faith David had – in the face of seemingly overpowering circumstances that could have squashed him into the ground, and made him all but a footnote of folly in Israel’s history.
We could use such a reminder of David’s faith, as we head towards an uncertain fall season and future of the world. David knew what he was facing in Goliath, but he also knew how to face him! I think we can tend to be a bit parochial in how we apply the promises of God sometimes – when it come to facing the little stuff, as well as the huge stuff in life. Marginalizing God’s ability comes as easy for us, at certain points, as preventing physical pain! Our personal problems, granted, may be quite immense, and very trying. Our mountain may be so big, that we cannot ever imagine how we will overcome our issues, or how our world will ever be able to get through the ominous times we are in. In these times, remember David’s focus – his body may have been facing the mountain – but his eyes were squarely on the mountain mover. If we don’t think God is presently moving mountains in our lives, or in the world, and we think all is for naught, the Bible challenges us to reconsider that perspective, on theological grounds. If even someone whom Jesus Himself, acknowledged as "great," John the Baptist, can fall into a huge faith crisis, you know we can!! When Jesus was approached by followers of John the Baptist, after John was imprisoned, and facing an uncertain future, they mentioned to the Lord that John had his doubts about what He (Jesus) came to do, and could do. Listen to Jesus’ amazing response once more: "Go back and report to John...The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the good news is preached to the poor, blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." Matthew 11:4-6 The vocabulary and grammar of the Lord, in this passage, is written in the present tense. Jesus was not saying "Hey, just look at all the stuff I’ve done in the past. Have some faith!" No! Rather, Jesus was saying that even as all seemingly goes wrong around us, and in the world – remember, God is active, still, moment by moment, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day -- and He is not done His work in our lives, and He has not completed it in the world, either. We can be certain, then, that God is moving mountains, they are incrementally shifting their spiritual, emotional or physical courses in our lives - presently, even though, we may not be able to tell. Doesn’t our earth move – while you don’t even notice? Even more, one day -- all that we face now, will be so small when compared to the vastness of eternity, where we shall stand with Jesus - and just let Him love us! Nothing, not one thing we face now – will be able to prevent that reality. Ultimately, you and I will win the battle! We may see glimpses of it on earth, but it in Heaven, we shall see the final outcome. Is that your perspective Christian soldier, today, as you face your battle?
