Confident Strength

May 20

We live in a world that seems to be coming apart at the seams in a lot of ways. On an international level, nations that could once be considered staunch allies are no longer sure of their resolve to come to one another's mutual assistance in times of trouble. Nations whose ideologies are poles apart find themselves as ‘strange bedfellows.’

On a personal level, families that were once a cohesive unit in communities are now undone by the requirement of some members to seek employment in a troubled job marked by traveling far from the ‘homestead.’ Divorce, too, decimates families, and because of the fact of rising illegitimacy, many children are living lives devoid of traditional family ties.

The Apostle Paul addresses these situations which were problematic even in his day, albeit, to a far lesser degree than they are today. In I Corinthians 7:8 he says, “To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain so, to remain unmarried, even as I am.” What Paul is addressing here is the fact that people think their happiness depends upon the relationships they have. The unmarried want to be married. The married wish they were free. Children, although advantaged by having two loving parents, cannot rely on their circumstances to give them happiness or security.

The truth of the matter is that the only thing we as nations or as individuals can count on for the good we long to have is Christ Himself. Apart from Him, there is no real or lasting truth or joy or peace. Beyond that, we can know with absolute assurance that if we have a relationship with Jesus, we will have truth and joy and peace no matter what our external circumstances may be! Though war rages around us, though our friends and families forsake us, though we face devastating poverty of finance or emotion, we can abide in confident strength if we abide in the Lord.