This past week brought much devastation, uncertainty, and fear to much of the Southeast. I would have never predicted that East Tennessee could be so badly affected by a hurricane. Pictures of the surrounding destruction are absolutely heartbreaking, and recovery will take months - if not years.
Whether we are dealing with storm damage or shattered dreams or something entirely different but equally devastating, it can be easy to lose heart. In such times, we are not alone. Thousands of years ago, a biblical writer looked upon life’s wreckage and penned the following words:
“My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is” (Lamentations 3:17).
We’ve all been there at some point. Maybe you’re there right now. During those moments when everything seems out of control, our theology matters. What do we truly believe about God? Is he really sovereign? Is he actually in control of all things? Does he still remember us and love us? We must remember that what is true about God when times are good is also true about God when times are uncertain and scary and hard. We must dive into his oceans of grace no matter how we feel because only there do we find true hope. We must preach to ourselves just like the writer of Scripture:
“But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘therefore I will hope in him’” (Lamentations 3:21-23).
To call something to mind requires that something was once stored in our hearts. Storing up the truth of God’s Word does not happen passively. It takes intentionality, and it is worth the effort. We simply cannot call something to mind in the storm if we do not store it in our hearts before the storm. Our hope depends on truth, and we have the privilege of learning truth every time we dive into Scripture. Let's keep diving!
Comentários