I Was Just Thinking About – CERTAINTY AMID UNCERTAINTY.
There has been no shortage of rhetoric about the future of this nation and who the elected politicians will be making determinations that will impact many lives. Just a quick glance of social media and internet news demonstrates there is considerable angst about the outcome of the Elections that will occur tomorrow, November 8th. There is a fatalism that the nation, Supreme Court, Economy, Immigration, etc. will all head in the wrong direction. One can visualize the wringing of hands and despair. Some even suggest a fortress mentality as they endeavor to hide from the reality in which we reside and what the role of a Biblical Christian should in times such as these.
In personal sermon preparation on the subject of How and Why One Should Always Be Thankful, a thought I came across that may apply here is the following: “The famous stress researcher Hans Seyle claims that two attitudes more than any other influence the quality of every day life, and on these two emotions depend our peace of mind, our feelings of security or insecurity, of fulfillment or frustration, in short, the extent to which we can make a success of life. The most destructive emotion is revenge. But in contrast, among all the emotions, there is one which more than any other, accounts for the absence or presence of stress in human relations: that is the feeling of gratitude.”
Where we ought to be and what we ought to do as Biblical Christians is to remember the words the Apostle Paul wrote in II Corinthians 4:6-10 (ESV), “For God, who said: Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
There may be challenging days before the nation and us who live in it. Our hope and confidence remains steadfast in the Sovereign God Who is accomplishing His purpose(s) in accordance with His eternal will. Part of our confidence is in the words of David – Psalm 34:15-19, “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
Prayerfully – Consider these things with me!
There has been no shortage of rhetoric about the future of this nation and who the elected politicians will be making determinations that will impact many lives. Just a quick glance of social media and internet news demonstrates there is considerable angst about the outcome of the Elections that will occur tomorrow, November 8th. There is a fatalism that the nation, Supreme Court, Economy, Immigration, etc. will all head in the wrong direction. One can visualize the wringing of hands and despair. Some even suggest a fortress mentality as they endeavor to hide from the reality in which we reside and what the role of a Biblical Christian should in times such as these.
In personal sermon preparation on the subject of How and Why One Should Always Be Thankful, a thought I came across that may apply here is the following: “The famous stress researcher Hans Seyle claims that two attitudes more than any other influence the quality of every day life, and on these two emotions depend our peace of mind, our feelings of security or insecurity, of fulfillment or frustration, in short, the extent to which we can make a success of life. The most destructive emotion is revenge. But in contrast, among all the emotions, there is one which more than any other, accounts for the absence or presence of stress in human relations: that is the feeling of gratitude.”
Where we ought to be and what we ought to do as Biblical Christians is to remember the words the Apostle Paul wrote in II Corinthians 4:6-10 (ESV), “For God, who said: Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
There may be challenging days before the nation and us who live in it. Our hope and confidence remains steadfast in the Sovereign God Who is accomplishing His purpose(s) in accordance with His eternal will. Part of our confidence is in the words of David – Psalm 34:15-19, “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
Prayerfully – Consider these things with me!
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