The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Which Is Greater?"
Two powerful and opposing influences exist in the world as presently constituted.
"The whole earth is full of the goodness of the Lord" (Psalm 33:5).
"The whole world lieth in wickedness" (I John 5:19).
Which is greater? Born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ confess that our Lord's goodness transcends the world's wickedness by an infinite measure.
"Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (I John 4:4).
This does not discount the fact and power of evil, which has challenging impact on believers in this present life, and dire consequences for both time and eternity in those who reject the goodness of God in Christ. However, our Lord's goodness must be known and affirmed as the predominant reality that pervades even a fallen world. "God… worketh all things after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:3; 11).
The cross of Calvary most confirms this truth. No moment in history more confirmed that the world "lieth in wickedness." The evil of devils and humanity consigned the innocent Lord Jesus to sorrow, forsakenness, pain, and death. However, no moment in history more shines with the light of God's goodness, whereby in marvelous and merciful grace He gave His beloved Son to make possible our redemption.
"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (Acts 2:23).
Goodness and evil both had their day at Calvary. At the end of the day, the latter seemed to have emerged triumphant. Three days later, however, this proved not to be the case. "He is risen, as He said" (Matthew 28:6). Herein, we most clearly see that regardless of how pervasive and consequential evil may be in the present world, God's goodness nevertheless prevails as the infinitely greater reality and power. Appearances and experiences may belie the truth. They do not, however, nullify or minimize the fact of our Lord's presence and working in all things.
Where will we direct our focus? How we answer this question regarding both the world and our lives determines the atmosphere of our hearts.
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3).
Believers do not ignore or discount the evil in which the world lies. Nor do we assign a flippant "que sera, sera" to difficult matters of our personal lives, or the lives of others. However, we do see through and beyond to the goodness that filled the earth in even its darkest moment at Calvary. We are, in fact, believers because we see the cross in terms of God's goodness as its primary cause and reason. Thereby, we also live the Christian life, "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith," whom we often find in circumstances that seem to belie His presence and activity (Hebrews 12:2). Where indeed will we direct our focus? Truth, by the light of its promise and command, points in one direction only: "The whole earth is full of the goodness of the Lord."
"I will look for Him."
(Isaiah 8:17)
Weekly Memory Verse
And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchizedec there ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
(Hebrews 7:15-16)
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