And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass. Matthew 24:6
One observation of Jesus we gain in Scripture is His economy of words. He displays tremendous brevity, with yet perfect wisdom. He responds to questions which were not only seemingly impossible, but also intended to trap Him in conundrum.
An example of this is seen in Matthew 22—asked by the legal scholars, He was confronted to wade into the depths of the law and determine which was the most important of this complex collection. Without pause He confidently responds in absolute brilliance– You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.
The response we likely know well, but let familiarity not cloud the absolute perfection and truth of His knowledge. His inquirers would thought such a question would have stumped Him… the opposite occurred.
Two chapters later, the disciples come to Jesus with curiosity of end times. His response is unusually lengthy. Early in His response we are exhorted by Him to be not troubled.
In the Psalms David writes to us about trouble or fear and the solution to it. From Psalm 27:
- Notice in verse 1— David knows who to go to— the LORD is the strength of my life…
- In verse 3, he declares his confidence is not in self-made solution, but confident in God.
- From verse 4 we see David positioning himself in actual prayer…I have desired of the LORD and that will I seek. His vision is also aligned correctly—
- Again in verse 4, he beholds the beauty of the LORD… as opposed to the beauty of David’s deliverance or solution. He also inquires in His temple… God is to be worshipped and learned of in the temple. It is in the Word where we learn of God and from God. It is the Word which is to be opened, directing us to Jesus. Hebrews 10:7- In the volume of the book it is written of Me.
- Verse 6 points us to praise in time of fear, and in verse 14 we conclude with the command to wait… we would say rest!
Most of our fears concern the future. God is lovingly bold in the Word concerning our future. Reflect on—Jeremiah 29:11…I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Proverbs 23:18…For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.
I Corinthians 3:22-23…things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.
Finally, Romans 8:38-39…For I am persuaded that neither death nor life… nor things present nor things to come… shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is good stuff! No doubt we truly can be relieved of anxiety, worry and troubled hearts!
Maranatha!