A four year-old repeat from January 7th, 2018 that we really need to read again

Never doubt in the dark what God has promised in the light. By association with Him, we all win this thing!

I recently recorded a football game while at church so I could enjoy it that afternoon. If it weren’t my favorite team playing I wouldn’t have cared. This game, however, promised to be a knuckle-biter with huge implications for the post season.

As I was about to turn on the TV, I got a call from a non-church-going friend. “Did you see that game?” he blurted, “I still can’t believe we won it!” He said all this before I could interrupt him and say “Don’t tell me … I’m just about to enjoy it for myself.”

I forgive him for his exuberance  but was still irked at the suspense being taken out of the outcome – until shortly after the start of the game when we had quickly fallen two touchdowns behind.

Then something changed for me. The dread of the apparent loss was replaced by the fact that I already knew we hadn’t lost. I had the word of someone who had seen the game through to its conclusion and I knew we would eventually win, in spite of how it looked until the last six minutes of the game.

I find this same relief as I ponder the state of the world around me. It’s a crazy world populated by crazy people doing stupid and murderous things. The culture around me is pressurized, attempting to force every ounce of hope and happiness out through my pores. Almost everything happening in this frightening time of history adds to the chaos and uncertainty.

Can we win? Is there victory out there somewhere? The probability keeps plummeting.

But then comes the voice of the One who silences the wind and waves – who speaks of tomorrow like it has already happened – who gives directions to the stumbling and confused, and who brings life to the dead.  “I am Alpha and Omega. I was there at the beginning, am with you today and I’m already at the end. I can assure you, we have already won.”

Let his words give you the assurance you need this week.

“Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—

an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled,

beyond the reach of change and decay.” I Peter 1:3,4 NLT 

^“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or

sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Revelations 21:4 NLT 

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good

of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Romans 8:28 NLT