Certainly these have been days of anguish and concern for many. The feeling of fear and insecurity has grown among our people and there seems to be no good news anywhere. Even the jokes that are heard, show the restlessness and frustration everywhere. We have not experienced less than the Bible tells us that will happen: “6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not disturbed, because it is necessary for all this to happen; but it is not yet the end.7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be plagues, and famines, and earthquakes in different places.
But notice that in the same verse he tells us: ” SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT DISTURBED”. Perhaps you think it is difficult not to be disturbed or worried when you see all these things happen. But the reality is that if our gaze and trust is not set on God, we will be disturbed.
All this reminds me of a word that I like very much and has sustained me in difficult times, Isaiah 61: 3 says: “To order that the afflicted of Zion be given glory instead of ashes, oil of joy instead of mourning, mantle of joy instead of the anguished spirit; and they will be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, for his glory”.
I don’t know how distressed, distraught, worried you may be today, but I take that word for me. It has been my decision to hear and read the news of heaven, and the news of heaven tells me that where there is ashes and destruction is where its glory rises.
You can stay focused on the ashes, you can live in worry, but I must tell you that, it will not contribute anything. But, if you can begin to see the glory that God wants to lift in the midst of the ashes and what seems like destruction, and you can declare his love and mercy on your lips and believe that his plans are plans of good and not of evil, then you will see his glory, because he hastens his word to put it to work. I don’t know what you see, but I see his glory, I see his light, I see his love, I see his grace, I feel his peace and there will be no situation that makes me see anything else. At the end, as my pastor says, “it’s all about seeing Jesus and not the circumstance.” If you can see Him, you will see the circumstance transformed. Blessings.
