This past week has been pretty eventful. “Brexit” has occurred with the British nation deciding to withdraw from the European Union. What the full consequences of that decision means for England and other nations is something that is beyond me to fully comprehend.
We also have seen terrible television footage of another ISIS terrorist attack at a Turkey’s Ataturk airport, the third busiest one in all of Europe. It killed forty-one people and many more were injured. Sadly, many of the leaders of our nations seem to be at a loss what to do except to condemn the attacks.
And last but not least, we have had a federal election of which the outcome is not known at the time of this article. But whatever the outcome, our current Prime Minister when pressed on the issue of trustworthiness has said, “Some politicians tell terrible lies,” citing an opposition change on a certain policy.
Well, I don’t know about you, but I sometimes look at all this ‘stuff’ that happens in our ‘global economies’ and locally, and I just want to bury my head in the sand and let it all just pass me by. I am even having difficulty watching the news nowadays! Perhaps it’s an ‘age’ related thing. There is nothing new under the sun and although some of these events are not exactly the same, they have happened before and will probably again, so I don’t get all that worked up about any of it anymore.
However, having said that, perhaps it is not just an age related thing but a growth in spiritual maturity. We know as Christians that our God never slumbers or sleeps (Psa 121), and that He is working all things for the good of those who love him in order that we may become more Christ-like (Rom 8:28ff). Perhaps it’s the Holy Spirit working in us, reminding us that ‘Brexit’ doesn’t determine our future, nor does ISIS, nor for that matter does a new government, but our Heavenly Father.
Something tells me that becoming more Christ-like in this instance means learning to trust in my heavenly Father’s provision and care, even when the nations are shaking (economically) or busy airports are being unfairly targeted, or governments are elected which may not have been our first choice.
Scripture reminds us that we need not worry about our life, what we will eat or drink or even what we will wear. Our Father in heaven feeds the birds of the air and He tells us we are more valuable then them. In fact, we cannot even add a single second to our life without our heavenly Father’s will. If our Father in heaven causes the lilies to grow and to be clothed in more beautiful attire than Solomon in his hey day, even though the lily is only there for a day at best, He will most certainly clothe and feed us (Mat 6:25ff). More than that, Jesus has promised that we can never fall out of His hands, nor for that matter the Father’s hands (John 10:28ff cf Psa 31:5, 15).
So many people are living lives today that are restless, unsure, full of angst, not just about their own immediate future, but about the world at large with all these things that are happening. As God’s saved people in Jesus Christ, let us not put our heads in the sand and just let the world go by. Rather, of all people, because of God’s Word and Spirit in our lives and our wonderful salvation in Jesus Christ, we have more reason to be at peace and to continue trusting in our faithful God and Saviour. Indeed, let us pray that the Lord may use our restful and peaceful demeanour to comfort those who are anxious and in distress and use this as an opportunity to share our faith with them. JZ.