On June 24, 2016, the New York Stock Exchange dropped a full 600 points by the day’s end as a result of the shocking news that the UK decided to leave the European Union.
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A vast amount of money lost in just one day due to a totally unforseen decision by Great Britain which the news media dubbed the “Brexit”.
People frantically made calls to their financial firms in hopes of protecting their investments… (I know because my husband works in the industry.)
The news these days is so often filled with bad news…
Terrible tragedies and shootings occurring with so many unsuspecting individuals losing their lives…
A family lost at sea…
A toddler losing his life at Disney…
Twists and turns abound…
Health issues… Relational issues… Natural disasters…
Life can seem so unpredictable at times.
The grief that people are experiencing these days can be so heartbreaking, as you watch the news and see what’s going on…
Oh…. You can bury your head in the sand and avoid the news stations, but believe me, I know from personal experience that the news will find it’s way to you one way or another…
And if you’re not careful, you can begin to get discouraged and even fearful as you go through life.
If only Earth was a little more like Heaven… Right?
Oh, so many often like to think that this is it….that this is all there is…
…And oh how often we try to make Earth our “heaven”.
But you know what, it isn’t. This world is tainted by evil.
Yes, there is beauty in this world, and yes, there are beautiful and wonderful things to enjoy while we are here, but one thing this Earth is certainly not….is Heaven.
God created this world and everything in it and called it all “good”, but when people were given the choice to either follow God or their own desires…. They decided to listen to a different voice and chose to follow their own desires.
And that is very much a picture of what life is still like today. We think God is trying to keep us from something “good” just like Adam and Eve did in the garden, not realizing His directions are actually for our safety and benefit.
We see evil in the world today… sickness, pain, natural disasters… things that are not “good” living right alongside things that are.
Yes, we live in a tainted world…
But again, thank God this world is not Heaven…
When Jesus was on Earth He didn’t sugar coat the kind of world we live in or give us fanciful ideas that life would be easy. In fact, He clearly expressed that in this life we would have trouble. (See John 16:33)
And yet He further went on in that very same verse to encourage us that we could have peace in the midst of it and told us to “take heart” because He had overcome the world.
Yes, my friends, Jesus triumphed over evil at the cross, not only disarming the devil and sealing his ultimate defeat, but also in the process providing a way for us to have peace with God in this life as well as preparing a perfect dwelling place for us to be with Him for eternity.
With all of the shootings, terrible tragedies, personal losses, and disease in this world, it can be so easy to fear and lose heart for so many of us…and especially for those going through the grieving process of having been touched by the pain and trouble in this world.
No, tomorrow is not a guarantee for any one of us, although we prefer to imagine so.
But the words of Jesus (in John chapter 14) serve as another great reminder.
And it is this…. The sure guarantee is that Jesus is preparing a place for those who have placed their trust in Him, and one day we will be with Him in that place where there is no more pain, death, sorrow, or heartache.
Jesus said: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going…Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him….Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’” (John 14:1-4,6,27)
Yes, life can seem unpredictable at times. But when your hope is in Jesus and He is Your Rock, you can rest safely in the peace He gives, knowing every breath you breathe already comes from Him…and He can keep you until the day He is ready to bring you safely home to that perfect place He is preparing for those who have placed their faith in Him.
Faye Adams is a wife, mother, and a devoted follower of Jesus. Faye’s faith plays a central role in her life, and she is passionate about sharing Jesus with others through Bible study and everyday interactions. Believing that our relationship with God through Christ impacts all aspects of life, Faye aims to bring others closer to experiencing the peace, joy, fulfillment, and freedom that come from knowing Him.
