Change We Can Count On

What an exciting time to be a child of God! We are sailing in uncharted waters here, aren’t we? The stock market takes random, aimless turns almost every day, bringing fortune to some and misery to others. Our personal debt and national debt is at an all time high. Technology and medicine and science are evolving so fast it numbs the mind. Cures for diseases that plagued our society just a generation ago are being discovered every day. Just as a skirmish begins to quiet down in one part of the world, another one pops up elsewhere. And in the midst of it all, we just participated in an unprecedented election, the outcome of which has sent the first African American to the most powerful office in the world. As Yakov Smirnov would say, “What a country!”

How is it we live in the most wealthy nation on earth, but so many consider themselves living in poverty? These are remarkable times! And....the outlook is so good. How do I know? Do I have some prophetic insight to what the future will be? No. Will the days ahead be brighter than the days past? I don’t know. But one thing I am sure of, God is faithful, and He never called us to approach life positively; he called us to approach it faithfully. There is a difference.

In a time when so many are broken down, distraught, and disconnected, many are hoping in vain for a leader who will get us out of this mess. The church is in a perfect position to point to The One who is truly the Hope of the Nations. Our neighbors, our friends, even our enemies don't just need a little change, we need a rebirth - a shot at starting life over again.

One of the things I love about the church is that it's always new. Life in Christ is new. The Bible says that God's mercies are new every morning, and that we are made new day by day. I love that truth. The Story we tell may be 2000 years old, but it has the power to make all things new. The church is alive. Our faith is alive. Hope is alive. No reruns or repeats. It's alive and we are growing to be less dependent on the shakiness of our circumstances and more dependent on the stability of our Lord.

What an exciting time. Will the days ahead be bright? Maybe. I genuinely hope so. But even if they’re not, the darker the night, the brighter God’s children shine! (Philippians 2:15)