TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;” (Psalm 45:6)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• The more this Coronavirus goes on… the more the media propagates fears and their own agenda… the more social media outlets censor voices… The more riots and protests continue to destroy our cities… The more celebrities try to chime in with opinions I never asked for… And the more I hear of corrupt career politicians who seem bent of tearing up our Constitution and turning us into a socialist country… The more all these things happen — the more the Amish way of life appeals to me.
But y’all, I can’t live on a farm. I scream over bugs. And for some reason, butterflies like to chase me. I need air conditioning. I’m not sure how long my curiosity would function without access to Google to look up the random, stupid questions that pop into my head. I’ve never ridden a horse, and besides, the horses I’ve been around are usually accompanied by flies. Did I mention that I don’t like bugs??
Yet — the simplicity of the Amish life still appeals to me. I’m tired of people who are making so much noise, and I’m sick of biting my tongue. If I joined an Amish community, I wonder if I could sneak in a portable A/C unit and a case of bug repellant??
In my Bible reading, I’m currently in the Old Testament books of the minor prophets — Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, etc. And through their messages, God’s frustration with His people is evident. As I read — I’m struck by the familiarity of some of their words, and I can’t help but be amazed at how much it sounds like our modern world. Consider these examples from Hosea:
- “There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.” (Hosea 4:1b-2)
- “You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors, therefore the tumult of war shall arise among your people,” (Hosea 10:13-14b)
And these two verses are far from the only examples. When we read of the people in Noah’s day, who were swept away in the flood… the days of Sodom and Gomorrah… Even all the way into the New Testament… these things continue. It’s throughout the Bible. As disheartening as our circumstances are, when we read the Bible, we easily realize that while the world may change, people do not. God has given us His Words and His instructions — yet, we persist in doing everything the hard way.
In the last few months, I’ve studied a lot about the end times, and I honestly think you’d have to be living under a rock to not see how clearly we are in the ends times. My hope is not that things will change. Indeed, I don’t think we’ll ever see “normal” again. My hope is in Jesus alone.
In the craziness of this world — when things seem to get worse with every passing month (I think we’re on randomly mailed seeds from China now) — it’s critical that we keep our eyes focused on the ONE TRUE LIVING GOD and remember that He is still on the throne and He is still in charge! Psalm 45:6 tells us, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;” And of course, we have the promise from Romans 8:28 — “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We just have to stop thinking that verse automatically applies to the hear and now. God will make everything good and right… but it may not be until heaven that we see it.
Let us cling to hope. And persevere, even as we crave a simpler life. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus even in the storms and madness of this world.
Today, as you pray, thank Jesus for being our anchor in the middle of chaos. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you navigate these difficult days and to help you keep your eyes focused on Jesus. Pray for our leaders and world. Ask the Holy Spirit to spark a revival, and even use you to help fan the flames.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the ESV translation.
