“There is a place that I know
Where I need more often to go
A place of amazing comfort and rest.”
In the Arms of my Father* by Dave Chumchal
For many, this new year holds no reason for celebration. The kings of this world are looking in the mirror and chortling with self-satisfaction as they see themselves sovereign, on a par with God, free to act with impunity as their bloated egos strut and preen. Their drug of choice – power. And not just what they have now, but more. Always more. The global suffering their infantile neediness provokes is of a scale staggering the imagination. Armed conflicts continue to destroy millions of innocents. Vast swaths of starvation and deprivation result from the actions of their corrupt, uncaring, hearts. The layers of injustice perpetrated by their political machines form a veritable tangled web of lies and deceit. Religious hatreds (how’s that for an oxymoron?) justify unspeakable horrors.
And yet we still sing the truth of the Vineyard worship song above, because, overlaid on the morass of contemporary world dealings are the words of Christ Jesus our Savior and soon-coming King: “. . . the Truth of Who I am will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church – my legislative assembly, and the power of death will not be able to overpower it!”Matthew 16:18, TPT. The entire story of Scripture points boldly to the victory of victories of the King of Kings. Ancient prophecies will be realized, the love which sent Jesus to us on a rescue mission will be fully on display, Shalom will be universal – yes, universal!
So, is this world a frightening, dark place with rampant evil? Yes. Does it end this way? No! Do we have a King Who will defeat evil, right every wrong, dry every tear, and bring His children home to be with Him forever? Yes. Is the Church, as messy as She is, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, an unstoppable force for Truth and Justice? Yes! Is the Church (that’ us, y’all) invited to participate in our King’s victory parade? YES! As the little kings continue doing their thing, there’s a final showdown coming. Is our hope bigger and stronger and surer than what we see with our natural eyes? Yep. PD