Life is filled with surprises. We can plan for the future, and indeed we should, but we must do so with the understanding that the future we have planned may or may not come about as planned. Life happens, and plans have to be amended, revised, and adapted, or even discarded altogether. Yes, indeed, life is filled with surprises.

As we look around the world through the lens of media, we see things happening that can catch us off guard, taking us totally by surprise. I feel quite certain that the people of Israel were not expecting missiles to rain down on them two weeks ago, but they did. I feel sure that they were caught completely off guard and unprepared for that terrorist attack at the hands of Hamas. And not only were the people of Israel shocked, the world at large was also, as the events unfolded before us through the lenses of media.

When we witness things such as this, we need to remind ourselves of a few things that are essential for our mental and emotional wellness. First, let’s remember that the event itself happened at a specific moment in time. If we are not careful, we allow that moment in time, that minuscule, microscopic, fleeting split second of time, to define what we might refer to as the big picture – the entire scope of reality. That is an extremely dangerous thing to do, as it could cause all sorts of mental and emotional anguish. It’s like the feeling that we sometimes experience when we have come down with the flu, or pneumonia, or some other ailment. While we are in the throes of the ailment, we feel that it will never end. We can’t see beyond the present crisis. But the big picture is that it will end, and things will get back to normal. What happens in the moment does not necessarily result in affecting the big scope of things.

Second, we must refrain from allowing any event in the scope of human affairs to cause us to take our eyes off the One who is in control of all things. The present-day crisis in Israel is a great case in point. Those in the midst of the crisis are probably wondering if, or when, this crisis will end. Some may have resigned themselves to the idea that it will never end – that this is the beginning of what will prove to be the beginning of an accelerating string of events that will get worse and worse until the end of this present age. And, in reality, that could happen, but it is not necessarily going to happen. There is a sovereign God sitting on His throne, overseeing the affairs of man and of nations. We can rest with assurance in His ongoing care for His creation, and of the fact that the end was preordained from the very beginning. History has always been moving toward a climactic end, and God will bring that end about according to His timetable.

Third, it is imperative that believers should remember that we are not promised a life of ease, without any type of suffering, difficulty, and trouble. As a matter of fact, Jesus promised that in this world we would have difficulties and troubles. But He also promised that He would be with us in the midst of all that we face. He does not promise to remove us from every difficulty, but that He will be with us through the difficulty. Suffering is a result of the fall of man into sin. Every form of suffering is a direct result of sin, but not necessarily the direct result of personal sin. This means that we are all prone to suffer, regardless of our spiritual state.

The Old Testament teaches clearly that when the nation of Israel suffered at the hands of other nations, the righteous remnant suffered right along with the unrighteous. If the United States of America should ever be attacked by another nation, the same will be true: the righteous and the unrighteous will suffer alongside one another. We are not going to be placed under some form of protective bubble that will give us safety while all around us are facing trauma and disaster. No, we will all suffer the same. And again, this should not cause us undue concern, because the Bible has given us ample testimony and teaching concerning this grave matter.

So, what is the point? Simply this: God is in control. The brutal attacks against Israel at the hands of the terrorist group, Hamas, are under His control. Does that mean God is the instigator of this horrific event? Certainly not. But He is going to use these events to move history closer to that appointed time at which He will intervene on behalf of His chosen people. As the apostle Paul stated, “All Israel will be saved.” We are not to understand this as a statement of affirmation that every individual Israelite will be saved in the spiritual sense, but that in that last day of cataclysmic attacks against Israel in that final great battle, God will intervene and save national Israel from destruction.

God is in absolute control. All things are moving along as He ordained from eternity past. We are seeing them unfold before us in powerful ways. And the word of admonition from the Bible is that we need to make sure we are prepared for that final day when the angel will shout, the trumpet will sound, the Lord shall descend, and believers will be taken home.

Are you ready? Make sure you are before it is eternally too late.

Until next time:

Blessings.