Life is Hard

 

 

 “Life is hard. Then you die.” David Gerrold

Right now, life is hard. We don’t know who to trust. We don’t believe anything the media says. Most of us have no true understanding of the virus, the riots, murdering, and burning of buildings that are happening across the nation. And, the politics, there are no words for me to describe my bewilderment regarding the politics.

In response to all of this many Christians are going on social media and posting prayer-like responses such as, “Come quickly Lord Jesus.” Or, just a declaration of faith that says, “Repent and believe, the end is near!”

Everyone wants this COVID mess to end and for the nation to come back to some semblance of reasonable behavior as it seems all social courtesy has been discounted because of these difficult times.

The problem I see is that the cry out for Christ to return is because we do not know what to do.  It seems that whatever our response to any one of the issues is, there is someone who disagrees and someone who angrily disagrees. There are those who agree but they only speak up if they feel like a fight, We’re all sick of fighting.

What occurs to me is the lesson I learned long ago about the “audience of One.” As Christians, we are to discern what God wants and please Him. As we get dragged through the mud whether or not we wear a mask, have we thought about what God wants us to? As we consider the racial injustice in our nation, are we quick to jump in to support anyone who agrees on that point even if their reasoning is very unbiblical (see “What Really Matters) or will we look for the biblical response? Politically, do we look at what God’s Word says about who our leaders should be, or vote based on public opinion?

Calling on God to put an end to all of this is perfectly legitimate. God often responded to Israel when they finally realized that He was their only source of help. Verses like 1 Chronicles 5:20 are not uncommon in the Old Testament. There it says about Israel, “for they cried out to God in the battle, and he heeded their prayer because they trusted in him (NKJV).”

I wonder, are we crying out to God because we trust Him or because we want Him to come now and get us out of here? Israel still had to go through the battle but turning to the Lord granted them His favor to be able to fight the fight.

We still have battles to win. Though churches were told not to meet through the lockdown, pregnant women could still murder their babies. The cry regarding racial injustice has turned into defunding police and rioting to make a point as the murder rates increase by the very people who objected to the death of others.

It is certain that no prayer or crying out to God preceded these responses. And, the political battles, the financial battles, the battle for decent education for our children and against a socialist government (that would not please God) rage on.

Do we want God to just beam us up and set us free? His Word says we cannot know the day He is coming back (Matthew 24:36) but that we are to continue to work until we see He comes (Matthew 24:44-46).

Speaking the truth as an ambassador of Christ, pleading with women not to kill their babies in the womb (or outside the womb!), educating our children biblically, teaching others the Word of God, feeding and caring for others who need it.  All of this is the kind work we have to do to continue to grow the Kingdom of God as we testify to His goodness.

Life is hard and we will die. But, we have life eternal with Christ the King to look forward to if our faith in Him is true and trusting.

As Joshua said, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15).

Cry out to God in faith to end this mess (judgment) but let’s also keep our eyes on His clear directions in His Word for both how to live and how to fight.