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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD
Encountering an extraordinary God in ordinary life
Issue # 195 July 11, 2001
Getting Better?
Last night, I was blessed to spend several hours with a family of recent refugees from the small, west African country of Sierra Leone. They had been through some terrifying and painful experiences during the past decade of civil war, and are one of the few families to make it out to Canada.
The family was thrilled to be in a safe place. I have no illusions that life will suddenly get perfect for them. There will be cultural changes to make, painful emotional scars to heal and the constant worry about family and friends left behind.
I’ve seen newscasts, viewed graphic photos of the atrocities there and heard small parts of the families stories. Yet my mind can’t truly comprehend what they have been through.
It’s not just in Sierra Leone, there are similar conflicts raging throughout the world, and have been since time immemorial.
The people groups change, the weapons change and the reasons change, but the conflicts go on.
If the humanists among us are right and mankind is gradually getting better, and evolving towards a higher state of being, why aren’t these nightmares stopping? The truth is that people are simply not getting “better”.
The are wars on virtually every continent. There are millions in slavery and poverty. Abuse of every kind runs rampant. Despair has a strangle hold on the hearts of millions, perhaps billions of people.
In the midst of billions of people, billions of people are lonely and feel isolated. Perverse and decadent behaviours are commonplace. People kill one another for money or pleasure and sometimes for no reason at all.
Satan must laugh everyday at the chaos the world is in.
If it were not for the fact that there is a God who we can turn to, there would be no hope, no freedom from despair and pain.
One of the family members who had part of an arm amputated by rebel forces, spoke of looking around at others in the refugee camps and thanking God for still being alive and only losing one limb. In the midst of all that suffering, he has hope.
True freedom and hope don’t come from within or from our circumstances, they come from God.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2Corinthians 3:17 NIV
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15 NIV
Until next time, when you find yourself in a tough spot, may you draw on the freedom and hope that is yours through Jesus.
God bless.
Kevin
If you don’t know the hope and freedom that come from a personal relationship with God, please email me. I’ll share a few Bible verses about why such a relationship is possible and a prayer that will make it possible.
Freedom and joy can be yours. They are a gift from God. Won’t you accept them today?
© 2001 K.F. "Kevin" Corbin
All Rights Reserved