PINIMAGEYesterday, my 2-year-old nephew, Jude came to visit for a bit. He walked into my living room and sat on the couch. Then he motioned for me to sit with him.
“Come sit down, TT. Sit down here.”
I sat down and marveled at his intellect. His eyes darted around the room in deep thought while he sucked on a lollipop. He was very chatty so I thought I would take advantage of the moment.
I asked him a question.
And with a cavalier tone he replied, “I-un-know.” (I don’t know)
I asked another.
“I-un-know.”
It went on for a little bit – me asking questions, him answering, “I-un-know”. And I sensed it was turning into somewhat of a game. He responded faster with each question and his voice became more animated and bouncy. Then, my sister, Stephanie, interjected, “That’s his new thing. He says that about everything right now.”
The thing is, he seemed completely content to “not know”.
He seemed completely content to “not know”.
After he left, I thought about the idea of being okay with “I-un-know”.
I’ve gotta be honest, I see our present condition, I see where our nation is headed, and I’m tempted to fear. I look around and see the pain, the calamity, the confusion, the wars and rumors of wars. I see the persecution. The death. I see the moral decline. I see the abundance of self-indulgence and the rejection of God on deeper levels than I have in all my life. I see the growing persecution of Christ-followers.
As a culture we shake our fist at God. We reject His laws and pick through His Word like salad on a dinner plate – ingesting what appeals to us and leaving the rest. We demand from Him and blame Him when our lives become derailed and we find things aren’t working out according to our plans.
I know what God’s Word says. I know He tells me not to fear. But we are in desperate times.
“God, what’s gonna happen?
“God, what will I face in the days to come?”
“God, what about my family?”
“God, what about my husband as a minister of God’s Word?”
“What will become of us?”
I want details.
That’s the type of person I am. “If I could just get some details, God.”
But as I spend time in God’s Word and prayer, I am learning that it’s easy to make an idol out of the answers we seek from God instead of just resting in the character of God. In doing so, we walk around fearful and uncertain.
It’s easy to make an idol out of the answers we seek from God instead of just resting in the character of God.
It just so happens that I’m studying the book of Revelation. It’s a lot to take in.
God has already told us in His Word what is to come. And much of that seems to be unfolding around us. But what I’ve been encouraged by in the book of Revelation is how He begins the book reminding us who He is: the Alpha & Omega, the beginning and the end. When all is said and done, He will be on His throne.
In Revelation 1 John describes his vision of Christ:
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Notice what Christ says to John – His very first words. “Fear not, I am the first and the last.” In essence he’s saying, “I see you are afraid and because I don’t want you to fear, I will remind you of who I AM. I am the final authority over all. And because you are Mine, there’s no need to fear.”
And really, that’s all we need to know.
Isn’t it wonderful that before the words of what is to come are shared Christ tells believers, “Don’t fear. Because what you need to remember as you see the rest of this vision unfold is that I, your Savior and King, am all-powerful and I am the beginning and the end. Now with that in mind, let’s look at what will take place.”
Over the past several weeks I have written some verses in my journal to remind me to continually put my trust in the Lord.
Psalm 146
3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
When it looks like evil is winning, when it looks like there is no justice in the world, when it looks as though man is shaking his fist at God and getting away with it, we can know God is on His throne. Christ is our Overcomer.
Revelation 17:17 says even when the wicked devise their plans God carries out His purpose,
“for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose.”
Evil men tout their greatness and puff themselves up in pride and rejection of God, but God continues to carry out His purposes even through them.
I love that.
I spent time this morning confessing to God the fact that I’ve allowed fear and despair to creep into my heart. I confessed to Him that I have feared the unknown and doubted His provision and providence. I committed to pray even more for our nation and our world. I asked Him to help me trust even when the details are unclear and what I might face is uncertain. I meditated on the fact that He is victor over all and He has redeemed me. I am His precious child. He loves me even when I am afraid. And, most importantly, He is ALWAYS with me.
As for what tomorrow might bring?
In the words of a familiar saying, (With a Jude-like twist).
“I-un-know what tomorrow might hold. But I know Who holds tomorrow.”
