“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.” John 16:33
As I write this article today my mind is lost in thought about the news of another shooting in Buffalo. The tragedy of that shooting is that it appears to be motivated by racism. Then in a split second I think of the ongoing war in Ukraine where another country’s leader decides he wants another country and is willing to destroy innocent lives to do achieve that goal just brings me to a state of mourning. In the midst of these, and other tragedies such as losing dear friends to death, it is easy to be overwhelmed and overcome with the ideas that all is lost. BUT!!!
BUT, then there is Jesus!! Dear friends there are so many people in this world when they hear the name of Jesus as the source of hope or the answer to the difficulties that our world faces will scoff at someone like me pointing them to that one name. BUT, I truly believe with all my heart Jesus is the answer to any and all of the sources of hurt that we experience on a daily basis. When he said He is the Way, the Truth and The Life, I truly believe that! He was talking about heavy, heavy loss and hurt when he said what I cited above. He said his followers would be scattered and he would be left alone, and even spoke earlier of him dying in this time frame. BUT!!! But then he said if you remember what I’ve told you, you will have PEACE! Aren’t we all looking for a sense of Peace in our hearts when we see or hear of the tragedies going on all around our world?
Well, take heart my friends! Jesus is and always will be the answer! He said himself to “take heart because in this world you will have trouble. BUT take heart! I have overcome the world.” Praise God, what Jesus says here is that in him there is the answer! In Him and through Him we can find our way through the muck of this world. In Him and through Him racism can be overcome! In Him and through Him, people can live with each other in harmony! In him and through Him there is an answer that overcomes even death itself! BUT, there is one little thing we have to understand. Right after Jesus said these beautiful words, he prayed for His followers to become one in Him and the Father!
In order for us to truly be become those full of peace and have the overcoming power of Christ living within us we must understand that our goal is to pursue the righteousness and oneness of Christ living in and through us. If we have hatred in our hearts, we must ask the Holy Spirit of God to crucify it. If racism, it must die within us. I could go on, but I hope you get my point. My point is that we must be a people who are constantly allowing God to show us anything unworthy of Him in our hearts and be willing to repent of those things to become one with God. If we do that, then the power of the risen Christ, the One who has overcome all things will do so in us and we will have peace! That is my hope for all of humanity! That is my hope for you! And I’m telling you it starts with simply turning to that one name, the name of Jesus! Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Him!
(Editor’s Note: This column is written by a different Littlefield pastor for the Leader-News each week. The columns are published on this page on Wednesdays.)