Daily Devotions
Reflections on Paris
Reading for November 18th: Acts 14-15
Weekly reading for November 15-21: John 11-15
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
John 11:25-26
Last week, our sense of security was once again shaken. The safe, picturesque streets of Paris were made to look like a battlefield. Beirut we can deal with. That doesn't look or feel like our world (sadly enough). Paris does. So, those attacks have once again reminded us that we live in a broken world. There is no security here. Sin is in the Middle East. It's in Europe. It's right here in America. We can't avoid it.
But Jesus doesn't want us to live in fear. He died so that we might have life (Jn 3:16; 5:24; 6:40). He wants us to live with confidence (Jn 14:1-4).
He meets us at the grave. And not just at the grave of loved ones. He meets us at our own grave. He comes to us when we have thoughts of death and our own mortality. He gently says to us, "I am the resurrection and the life. Believe in me. Though you die, you will still live."
Don't live in fear. Live with hope. Live with the confidence that you can never die. Live purposefully. Love recklessly. The worst thing man can do to you is take your life. He can't take your hope. Jesus has conquered death. The grave has no more power over you.
Do you believe this?
Father, be with those suffering in Paris and Beirut. Be with our leaders who are facing tough decisions. Above all, strengthen our hearts that we might be able to live and to love with absolute confidence in the life and the hope we have in your Son.
