Because of Christ

 

2 Chronicles 21; Zechariah 5; John 8; Revelation 9

These have been up and down days. We grieve the death of our great-nephew. The sun is shining, hitting a mirror ball hanging from a light fixture and flooding the main floor with lights twirling like snowflakes. It brings a smile as does a song discovered on the Internet (see below) and a happy conversation with a neighbor. My hubby was vaccinated but has shingles, painful yet mild and his part-time work became full-time this week, a welcome distraction from his pain and our sorrow. Then this morning our mailman left a note; a parcel for us in the mailbox had been stolen by someone who jimmied the lock. I feel like a yo-yo.

In today’s readings, the king described in 2 Chronicles was at the bottom of the cycle. His grandfather moved to the top but dropped a few times. His father was up and down, but his son was not a good example. He killed his brothers, promoted idolatry and ended life horribly in a disease of the bowels. Zechariah’s visions of people persisting with their sin were even less encouraging.

Chapter 9 of Revelation is at one extreme or the other, depending on my attitude. I could be angry at those who have hated God and done great evil and be glad that they will finally get what they deserve. However, I realize that everyone sins. The degree is not the issue; missing the mark is missing the mark. I deserve the same end that will come to them — were it not for the grace of God, I would also perish.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:20–21)

Thinking of myself as rescued by mercy puts me into a different attitude, one of great sorrow that this is going to happen to a third of humanity —they were offered grace and forgiveness but for reasons I do not understand, they did not respond with faith and changed lives.

The author of my devotional book feels like I do. He says, “Few statements are more discouraging. What is God to do? When he maintains order and stable times, his image-bearers drift away from him, indifferent to his blessings. When instead God responds in judgment, his image-bearers charge that God is unfair, or assign these things to blind circumstance, or exclusively to the Devil, or to alien deities who need placating. Apart from the intervention of the convicting work of the Spirit, few reflect deeply on how these disasters are calling to us in prophetic terms.”

His concluding words respond to that thought and echo some of my own thoughts: “What disasters has the race of God’s image-bearers faced in the twentieth century? What is their message? How have most people responded?”

Perhaps the disasters of this week are part of my reaction and certainly the current pandemic is part of that. We are at war with disaster. What is its message? At the very least, the pandemic, even the yo-yo of life should have all of us thinking about our mortality, even our readiness (or not) for death.

Response to this pandemic reflects much of the response to those plagues in Revelation 9. Some go their own way, insisting their idols are enough and refusing to admit their sins or their need for forgiveness and changed lives. In our city, a group of people were fined for having a party, forbidden for a few weeks to flatten the curve. They paid the fine and a few days later were back doing it again. It is that attitude that is described in this book of the last days. I feel enough of this despair.

Thankfully, John 8 has hope. Jesus condemns unbelief yet also declares Himself as the light of the world. Following Him means I will, “not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Some days this walk seems very dark yet in my heart, I know that Jesus is here, is true, is not abandoning all who grieve and feel such sorrow. We know where our Kyle is and that he is rejoicing and praising his Savior and Redeemer, the I AM, the eternal One.

APPLY: I must feel sorrow for sin and those caught up in it yet keep praying for God’s mercy in their lives . . . without losing that sense of indignation. This is not yo-yo but a “both at the same time” — like the God who loves us but will not pat on the head those who defy Him. I must remember, “Yet though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” Only Jesus can enable the balance and keep me in His care, for which I praise Him. Music: It is all Because of Christ!