Uncertain Times?
By Hal Lindsey
The November 2020 issue of The Atlantic features an article titled, “The Election that Could Break America”… The President of the United States, the First Lady, many others in the Administration and on Capitol Hill have been diagnosed with Covid-19… The World Health Organization now estimates that 10% of the world’s population has had the virus… A new wave of the disease is hitting New York, Paris, London, Madrid, and elsewhere… An unprecedented fire season continues in the western United States… A shaken Washington establishment is preparing for all-out war over Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett… Yet another potential hurricane seems to be taking aim at the Gulf Coast… And on and on.
They call these “uncertain times.” But are they really uncertain?
For those who understand Bible prophecy, the times became quite certain with the birth of modern Israel in 1948. These are the days of the budding fig tree, times of the end as a new beginning dawns. Societal upheavals, natural disasters, and the threat of new and more horrible kinds of war create fear and anguish across the world. But the Bible said these things would happen during the days not long before the return of Jesus.
The Bible’s accuracy should give us tremendous comfort. Through it, God demonstrates His authority and ultimate control. He did not create us, then leave us to fend for ourselves. He remains active and interested in our lives. He offers to make us a part of His family. And when you’re one of His, He has a Bible full of promises to give you comfort and hope in times of trouble.
In Matthew 6:26, Jesus reminded His followers of His Father’s care for the “the birds of the air.” “They do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?”
Then, in verse 27, Jesus asked this profound question. “Who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”
Agonizing and worry produce more agonizing and worry. How much better to trust the God of your salvation, stand on the solid ground of His word, and allow His all-powerful arms to envelope you? Trust Him, love Him, and receive His love. You don’t save yourself by having the right feelings. Only Jesus saves. But you get to choose whether or not you will walk in the peace that Jesus offers.
Will only good things happen in your life? No. The 23rd Psalm describes walking through the “valley of the shadow of death.” What an amazing picture! That same verse 4 goes on to say, “I will fear no evil; For You are with me.”
That is not naively ignoring the situation. That is acknowledging the true context of every situation. Evil exists. Bad things sometimes happen. But those things happen inside a greater and better framework. The big picture is this. The Almighty God loves you and promises to care for you, even when times seem uncertain.
It’s not that you have no enemies, but that even in their presence, He prepares a feast for you. If you are His, then you can say with the Psalmist, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”
