The World

The World

In the book of Romans, Paul writes, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" 8:22.

We only have to look at the news to see that the whole of creation -- the whole world -- is groaning daily.  As I write this, there are riots flaring up all around the world.  Senseless violence and destruction, true anarchy is spreading, spurred on by wicked people with selfish agendas.  We shake our heads, hardly able to believe such craziness is happening on the heels of the world's worst pandemic.

Never before has the whole world ground to a halt as it has in the past three months, all because of a nearly invisible virus that has wrecked havoc among nations big and small.  With over six million cases, no one has been immune to the ravages of this disease.  Many people have died and many more are suffering in a number of ways.  The whole phenomenon has changed the way people view life like nothing else has since WWII.

Besides riots and a viral pandemic, many countries are battling the worst Desert Locust infestation in 70 years.  The upsurge remains critical in East Africa, Yemen and Southwest Asia, and also countries of Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, Indo-Pakistan, and the Sudan.  One news agency wrote, "East Africa is in the midst of a crisis that sounds like something out of the Book of Exodus: A plague of locusts is spreading across the region, threatening the food supply of tens of millions. City-sized swarms of the dreaded pests are wreaking havoc as they descend on crops and pasturelands, devouring everything in a matter of hours. The scale of the locust outbreak, which now affects seven East African countries, is like nothing in recent memory."

Just two weeks ago, massive hailstones fell in parts of Texas.  The news reported, "There’s hail, there’s big hail, and then there’s what fell on Burkburnett, Texas, about 10 miles north of Wichita Falls, on Friday afternoon. Hail topping five inches in diameter crashed like meteors on the town, punching holes through home roofs and leaving craters in the ground."

Why am I reciting all of these recent deadly events going on throughout our world?  I'll answer that with a quote from Sarah Young's devotional, Jesus Calling.  It's as if Jesus is saying to us, "Because the world is in a fallen condition, things always seem to be unraveling around the edges.  Expect to find trouble in this day.  At the same time, trust that My way is perfect, even in the midst of such messy imperfection."

The verse, so symbolically wrapped around the globe in the top picture, makes it plain:  "In this world, you will have trouble.  Take heart, I have overcome the world.  I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace" John 16:33.  

Ah, peace -- something we all long for.  Something that can only be found in God Almighty.  When we see the world around us groaning, our best response is to lay our distress and fears at the feet of Jesus.  He gave us a promise in the book of John, saying, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" 14:27.

Not only does Jesus promise to give us Peace, but He is also the giver of Joy.  He says to us, "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full" John 15:11.  What better gifts of grace can we ask for than these that our Lord freely offers to His children.

In this chaotic world we are living in, praise God He is with us every step of the way, with liberal doses of peace and joy to sustain us on our journey.