“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matt. 5:45)
Where we live each morning, we can hear a myriad of birds chirping this time of year, mixed in with only occasional traffic sounds. The unjust hear them also. They are heralding spring, they give God the glory with their songs, offering Him the thanks for the food they are freely given, the life that He has blessed them with. It is, in a way, how they become as the seraphim around the throne of God who continually cry, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)
It is their songs of thanksgiving and praise to Him who rules over all of creation. The unjust only hear birds singing.
In places of extreme drought, the unjust watch the weather forecast, the justified pray, and accept with thanksgiving whatever the Almighty has deemed to come their way. In floods, times of famine, war and peace, those who have been chosen by God give thanks, they praise His name for what they have, and even what He has removed from them. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:11)
Those who live for self, and sadly that is some who profess Jesus Christ as Lord, fear not only adverse conditions, but the possibility of them in the future, such is the way of Satan, constant fear, even at a subdued level, is the way of our adversary, peace must be sought for continuously, never achieved, never lived in. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7)
I am not aware of the state of the world this morning, I do not know what bombs fell where overnight, if someone shot a group of people, if the dreaded flu, as I care to call it, has returned, or who has besmirched the name of who, I hear birds offering praise, and I am at peace.
When, later in this day, I hear of some so-called terrible news, I will still be at peace, if I perchance suffer some great physical harm to myself, or if something happens to my beautiful wife, I will remain in that peace, for I believe and trust in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” I believe in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” And my assurance is in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
My peace, the peace that the Lord has seen fit to bless me with, and all those who will trust in Him, is not based on my current events, it is not held in check by the circumstances that surround me, or those that are being portrayed as “intrinsically important” by the thousands of news agencies or media outlets, it is assured to all who trust in Jesus Christ as Lord. It has nothing to do with happiness, not in the way the world perceives that word, it is a continual joy.
“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” (John 15:11)
The rain will fall, it will be a blessing to some, and seen by others as a terror, and it has nothing to do with how it is perceived by us, it is how we hear the Holy Spirit speaking to us in love before it even begins to rain, it is the trust we have in the Lord that cannot be altered by the circumstances that surround us or even the possible consequences to our lives.
Very few people fear a gentle summer shower, many run and hide in the severe storm, the question is, where are you going to hide, under the shadow of His wings (Psalm 17:8) or in the hope of self-preservation?
The days that are approaching, even the days that we find ourselves in, are meant by our adversary to cause fear, fear of the unknown, fear of a possible future that will not be advantageous to us. I offer you the peace of God’s word, in the hope that you will trust in it, and in Him who has promised you peace. “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2 Tim. 1:12)