You know I have recently been reading Keller’s book “King’s Cross”. It is a wonderful journey through the book of Mark and provides some great insights. Last week I was finishing the book up as I was traveling; flying to Atlanta to visit family.
I was reading about spiritual darkness and how in a world gone awry we lose sight of eternal things; we are spiritually blind. We are blind to eternal things, to eternal hope, to the eternal and infinite love of God.
In this broken world there are broken things, there are evils and trials; there is suffering that is unexplainable. Keller points out that Christianity is the only faith that says that God himself actually suffered, but that when we really stop we can come to understand that this was the greatest act of love, power and justice. We can come to understand that God actually entered this world, suffered, crucified on a cross just to rescue us. Oh, what an infinite love!
Keller points out that as we go through trials and suffering that; “you may be completely in the dark about the reasons for your own suffering…But the cross tells you what the reason isn’t. It can’t be that God doesn’t love you; it can’t be that He has no plan for you. It can’t be that He has abandoned you…The cross proves that he loves you and understands what it means to suffer. It also demonstrates that God can be working in your life even when it seems like there is no rhyme or reasons to what is happening.”
However, as God becomes the light of our life there is a peace, a comfort, hope! Philippians 4:17 tells us; “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Keller shares that he once had thyroid cancer and while it was treatable part of the treatment was surgery. As you might imagine there was still some concern and as he was undergoing anesthesia he couldn’t help but wonder what would happen. But it came to him that because of Jesus’s death evil and suffering are but a temporary, passing thing; that there is hope and love forever and eternal. Keller resolved it didn’t matter what happened in surgery – “it was going to be all right”.
In all seriousness, as I finished up that section of the book, the captain came over the PA and said; “ladies and gentlemen, it seems we may have a problem with our landing gear.” It seems there was a warning signal that our landing gear was not properly locking into place. It was going to required some in flight testing. Actually, there was no real panic in the aircraft, but certainly some concern. But as I think about it I can remember a tremendous peace coming over me. I looked at my wife and simply said; “it is going to be all right.”
And you know what; it was!
Father, thanks so much that when you are the light of our life there is such peace, such love and such comfort in our lives. That by your light we can get beyond the spiritual darkness of this world. That through Christ we can see that death and suffering are but temporary things and that no matter what, no matter the trial, no matter the suffering – it will be all right! Amen…
Grace and Peace!
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