Our Only Hope In Life and in Death
Last week was a rough week in our world. In Paris terrorists carried out several coordinated attacks across the city killing over 150 and injuring over 350 people. In Beirut roughly 40 people were killed and at least 180 people were injured by two blasts which were once again an act of terrorism. Then also in Baghdad a suicide bombing killed 17 and injured 35. Sunday another string of bombing in Baghdad killed seven more.
It was a terrible week and the worst part is that these weeks are happening more and more often with the so called “ISIS” putting forth it’s full efforts in a deluded effort to establish a tyrannical reign over as much of the earth as possible. They seem to be the embodiment of evil and frankly that is about as depressing and distressing as it gets, but I’m not stating anything the rest of the world doesn’t already know. I’m stating the obvious.
The less obvious is how do we respond to this? When my world is spinning out of control around me I take a step back and remember the sage advice of a college professor: “Keep the main thing the main thing.” My main thing is my faith which is centered around our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as it says in Q & A number one of the Heidelberg Catechism:
Question 1. What is your only comfort in life and in death?
Answer. That I am not my own, but belong body and soul, in life and in death to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. Christ has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
Our world has long been in chaos due to the effects of sin and the presence of evil in our world. What is equally true is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit and the power of our God who is also alive and active in our world.It’s sometimes hard to see and very difficult to understand, but at the core of our Christian faith is certainly our Lord Jesus the Christ our messiah.
As we come into the season of advent we begin to fully anticipate Jesus and the kingdom of God coming again on earth as it is in heaven.
"O Lord, you are the hope of the weak, the orphans, and the oppressed. You subvert the wicked and their plans and strengthen the hearts of the helpless. Blessed are you, Lord God, Sovereign of the universe. Amen."
