Better for What?

Even though I tend to speak matter of factly, I realize that these are simply my observations. You may have a healthy outlook on things. This is just to encourage some considerations, some things to think about. The only thing absolutely right is the Word of God.

To say that we’re living in an interesting time is no doubt, an understatement.
March Madness was canceled, as were NBA, NASCAR and basically every other sporting event. There's still talk of postponing the Olympics. For the time being, the world’s most popular tourist attractions are practically abandoned and left desolate. Disneyland and Disney World, “The happiest place on earth”, is closed. Words like “social distancing” have been indelibly added to our lexicon.
People have taken to a myriad of activities in and around the house as well as family time outings that make you wonder if this current COVID situation is all bad.

With such an upheaval in such a short time, I don’t think we’ve accepted “this” as our new normal. I think that deep down inside, we expect our familiar old normal to eventually return. To believe and accept anything less is tantamount to hopelessness. Eventually, schools will reopen; family and friends will head out to Outback for blooming onions. Trips to Europe, Hawaii or the Outer Banks will reclaim their prominence in summer schedules. Televised sports and the sounds of little league and pickup games of basketball will ring out across the land….like normal.

That's right isn't it? I mean although it’s still new news that Easter won’t look like anything any of us have seen before, who really expects this to last beyond a few more months? I mean, Thanksgiving will be the normal Thanksgiving , right? Christmas will be normal Christmas right?
I know how important and popular it is that a message of hope be made readily available to counter the daily dose of increasing numbers of those contaminated or deceased the world over.

I apologize now. I’m not apologizing because I intend to deliver a message of despair; I don't. I apologize because my message of hope will not be in the return to “normal” that you may be expecting. But if you allow, this message of hope will go far above and beyond an expectation of normal.

Here’s The Word:

1 Peter 1:17 - 21 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Even at levels far less impacting than a world-wide pandemic, seasons of trial have a way of re-centering us, allowing, or rather forcing us to evaluate our resolve. I don’t have the audacity to compare our situation in any way to that of Job, I do see one a comparative theme: In the same way that Job received message after message of worse and worsening news, we all know and expect things to get worse before they get better: That and the realization that we’re powerless against it.
Yet, we also see that as Job sat in sackcloth and ashes in the midst of his despair, His faith shined through.

Job 19:25 - 27 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Even though Job was confused about why his normal had fallen so far off the rails, He KNEW His redeemer was. Even though his days had been wrought with compounded catastrophe, his hope was well rested in his eternal eventuality.
That same hope and resolve is available to us today. Because Job’s Redeemer is our Redeemer, because whether or whenever this situation improves for us in particular or not, our Redeemer lives.

1 Thess 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

We want this current situation done and over with. We want things to get better, to go back to normal. We want to return to the lives we recognize. But why? Why do we want this all to get better? to go back to our old mundane, preoccupied schedules?
I often wonder about the depths of our belief when we profess faith and hope in Christ, but take pleasure in so many other things instead of Him. Christ, Our redeemer has been made manifest in these last times for us. If you belong to Him, this is the ultimate reason for rejoicing. This fact over all other comforts or expectations of normalcy would be the foundation upon which our faith rests.

In closing, I would say, Be grounded in your faith. Also, be serious about the message of the gospel you preach, it’s the perfect time to be unashamedly honest about what’s at stake and the available hope that goes beyond our current circumstances.

In Him,
Cros