When is life okay?
Is it when you have plenty of money to pay all your bills and you have some padding in your bank account? While that is certainly a desirable thing, clearly this cannot be the factor that makes life acceptable. After all, the widow in our reading today put the very last of her money in the offering as part of her worship of the Lord.
Is it life good when our religious institutions and traditions are solid and we don’t have upheaval at church? Again that is a nice thing, but Jesus told his disciples that their temple would be destroyed. That would radically change how they would worship. He would completely transform the traditions they had grown up with.
Is a life all right when we are treated with respect and we are honored by our community? That sounds nice too, but Jesus speaks of persecution, prison and even death. There is a very strong sense that as long as we are in this world we should not quite fit in because of our faith in Jesus. Not that we should be shrinking violets, but bold in living our faith and confessing our faith so that others will observe our testimony and come to faith.
Is life acceptable as long as our nation is sound and our government good? These are important too, but Jesus tells the disciples that Jerusalem will be destroyed, their capital will be devastated. He doesn’t want them to place their confidence in their political structures. Nor should we put our confidence (or base our fears) on the government.
Jesus says, “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.” While this life matters, and God cares about our physical lives, it is important that we keep in mind that this world will end. Bank accounts, money, church buildings, traditions, respect, community and government will all disappear when Jesus returns.
We are inclined to think that when things are “good” that God is blessing us and pleased with us. And when things are “bad” he must have forgotten us, or is angry with us. The truth is, when life is bad, that is the nature of life in a broken world. God has given us many good gifts to rejoice in, but none of them are the source of our joy. Instead, our joy, our confidence and hope are all rooted in the promises of God. These are the things that will not pass away. God’s Word, His Law and Gospel, is the only thing that will last forever.
When we live by God’s promises everything can be going “wrong” in our lives but we can still have joy and be at peace. When we cling to the promise that God can use everything to His glory, even our suffering can become good because it can provide a witness to others. When we hold on to Jesus, who is the Word, we can know that in every situation God loves us, forgives us and guides us. God’s promises never fail, and He will make our life okay by being present with us. He is what we need so that our life will be worth living.
Father in Heaven, thank you for calling me to faith in Jesus through the power of your Holy Spirit. Help me to live by faith, and be confident in this life because You are with me. Amen.
Is it when you have plenty of money to pay all your bills and you have some padding in your bank account? While that is certainly a desirable thing, clearly this cannot be the factor that makes life acceptable. After all, the widow in our reading today put the very last of her money in the offering as part of her worship of the Lord.
Is it life good when our religious institutions and traditions are solid and we don’t have upheaval at church? Again that is a nice thing, but Jesus told his disciples that their temple would be destroyed. That would radically change how they would worship. He would completely transform the traditions they had grown up with.
Is a life all right when we are treated with respect and we are honored by our community? That sounds nice too, but Jesus speaks of persecution, prison and even death. There is a very strong sense that as long as we are in this world we should not quite fit in because of our faith in Jesus. Not that we should be shrinking violets, but bold in living our faith and confessing our faith so that others will observe our testimony and come to faith.
Is life acceptable as long as our nation is sound and our government good? These are important too, but Jesus tells the disciples that Jerusalem will be destroyed, their capital will be devastated. He doesn’t want them to place their confidence in their political structures. Nor should we put our confidence (or base our fears) on the government.
Jesus says, “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.” While this life matters, and God cares about our physical lives, it is important that we keep in mind that this world will end. Bank accounts, money, church buildings, traditions, respect, community and government will all disappear when Jesus returns.
We are inclined to think that when things are “good” that God is blessing us and pleased with us. And when things are “bad” he must have forgotten us, or is angry with us. The truth is, when life is bad, that is the nature of life in a broken world. God has given us many good gifts to rejoice in, but none of them are the source of our joy. Instead, our joy, our confidence and hope are all rooted in the promises of God. These are the things that will not pass away. God’s Word, His Law and Gospel, is the only thing that will last forever.
When we live by God’s promises everything can be going “wrong” in our lives but we can still have joy and be at peace. When we cling to the promise that God can use everything to His glory, even our suffering can become good because it can provide a witness to others. When we hold on to Jesus, who is the Word, we can know that in every situation God loves us, forgives us and guides us. God’s promises never fail, and He will make our life okay by being present with us. He is what we need so that our life will be worth living.
Father in Heaven, thank you for calling me to faith in Jesus through the power of your Holy Spirit. Help me to live by faith, and be confident in this life because You are with me. Amen.
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