Black Holes Happen

Judges 7; Jeremiah 20; Mark 6; Acts 11

I’ve been feeling a little like Elijah when he thought he was the only one who was following God. Even though God is answering prayer in surprising ways, the burdens grow with every news story. All of it is bad news and it seems many Christians have been affected. Part of the problems is the isolation regulations for this Covid-19 thing, but discouragement happens to me the more I pray. I continue yet it has become hard work and I feel like the gates of hell have ganged up on me. When I sat down with my Bible this morning, I asked God to speak to whatever I need and He encouraged me first with the story of Gideon.

Gideon was called to defeat a huge enemy. The enemy outnumbered him yet God told Gideon to send 22,000 home, then a further group. Only 300 were left. I can’t imagine how he felt when God told him that his army was too large. I’d probably be shaking in my shoes.

However, Gideon verified this was the will of God and then pulled off a strategy that sent the enemy packing, at least those who survived. God’s way of doing things does not depend on numbers. This is an encouragement to me today. One person with their hand in God’s hand is a powerful force.

As I was thinking about that, a friend called. She is a strong Christian who told me she is praying from me and wanted to encourage me. Blessing #2!

Then I read Jeremiah and realized why I love this man’s story; I relate to his emotions. He prayed and spoke out concerning the evils he saw and the words of God that he heard, but he was not only ignored but ridiculed. He decided to quit but could not hold back. Even his close friends denounced him and he sometimes wished he had never been born, but in the middle of all that, he said:

But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause. Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers. (Jeremiah 20:11–13)

He felt like a loser so many times yet he knew that because of God, he was a winner.

Of course the life of Christ was filled with responses that would defeat an ordinary person but none of it caught Jesus by surprise. He was amazed that people would be like that, but knew it would happen:

On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. (Mark 6:2–6)

I’m nothing compared to Jesus, yet He could have felt like I do on those days when people seem so far from faith, far from recognizing who He is and His power to bring new life to them. He acknowledged their unbelief, even marveled at it, but He was not bent out of shape like I get when in a similar black hole.

I should not feel alone. Jesus is with me and He knows how I feel. So does Peter. He’d just been part of God extending the church to the Gentiles which should have been exciting. However, he met with criticism and had to give a long explanation. At the end, they fell silent. Then “they glorified God saying, ‘Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.’” (Acts 11:18) God brought unity when it looked like a conflict was brewing.

APPLY: Bad news leads to good news. The enemy wants me to forget the power of God and focus on me, and certainly not on the hordes of people unable to pray for themselves. I need to keep on with intercession. The battle is in my head but the important truth is that this is not my battle at all. it is the Lord’s — and He always wins.