Take Heart

This week has been filled with news, both personally, professionally, and nationally.  So much is happening and it weighs on me heavily.  Millions, including myself, have been watching the developments in the case of Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie’s mother. It’s both saddening and sickening that someone would abduct this elderly woman from her home, torturing her and her family.  And worse to hear that people are calling in fake ransoms.  

I hear people say, and I think I’ve even seen it on a shirt, “I’m God’s favorite!”  I don’t know that I’ve ever read in Scripture about God having any favorite children.  The point could be argued that Enoch may have been a favorite.  “Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years.  Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” (Gen. 5:23-24) Elijah may also have been a favorite, as he did not die either, “As they [Elijah and Elisha] were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. (2 Kings 2:11)   Scripture doesn’t use the word favorite, but several people are noted as having lived righteous lives.  

Even living a righteous life does not mean it will be free from pain.  We all experience pain from time to time -whether someone unintentionally harms us or goes to great lengths to deceive us- it happens.  Scripture says in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”  While we are advised to have nothing to do with the people who commit the sins listed in the passage, sometimes these people seek to do unprovoked harm and that’s really hard to understand.  Whatever you are going through today, whatever is on your mind, know that God is there.  He is with you and understands even when you don’t.  Jesus said in John 16:33, 33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  Keep praying for your situation and for those in your life.  Jesus is always with us and He desires that we have peace.  Amen. ​