Not Your Typical Church Lady

As Pastor Lee mentioned in his column last week, 2020 was a doozie. Every day of it brought a new mental or physical hurdle to climb over leaving all of us tired and exhausted. New Years Day of 2021 was the most mirthless day I've had in ages. Normally I wake up on January 1 excited and ready to face a new year, looking forward to new experiences, new hopes, new adventures. But 2020 was awful and it had erased all joy of looking forward to anything in the future. I was depressed to the point of tears until I finally got a pen and paper and started writing down every single thing I hated about 2020. I finally quit when I got to #75. (That is not an exaggeration, the list is right here beside me.) Having purged it all out, the next day was much cheerier.

For reasons that I can't explain, it would seem that daily devotionals and Bible readings have a way of tapping into what we need to hear when we need to hear it. My greatest frustration has been watching evil schemes play out with seemingly no consequence whatsoever. Psalm 12 was in my reading schedule and the last two verses say "You, Lord, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race" (Psalm 12:7-8, NIV). There is much vileness in this world. It's thrust into our faces day and night in various forms. We're told in a round about way that we need to accept the evil du jour (there are many different things) or else. Then there is usually a vague form of threat or insult to make us feel bad for not thinking and agreeing with whatever the evil is. Many people end up going along with it just to "keep the peace." Is that really how we should respond? In a study of Revelation that I'm working through, Pastor Dave Jones said "Satan will tell you 90% truth and 10% lie to get you to act according to the 10%. If he got one third of the angels to follow him, he could certainly get one third of the church to follow him." That certainly rings true. It seems there's always just enough truth to make one doubtful. The Adversary is very talented in the art of deceit. We have been warned throughout the New Testament to beware of those who wish to deceive.

"Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many" (Matthew 24:4-5, NIV). He then goes on with more things that will happen toward the end time and reiterates again the importance of not being deceived: "At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Messiah!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time" (Matthew 24:23-25, NIV). Luke wrote about this as well in chapter 21.

In 2 Corinthians 11:12-15, Paul writes: "And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

In this world, we are surrounded by deception and evil schemes. It's hard to tell which end is up. No wonder New Year's Day was such a bummer for me personally. But there is this: no matter how bad the day is, regardless of which mental torture tactic is used, there is one unbreakable stronghold that evil cannot penetrate – the loving arms of Jesus who holds my heart and soul close. "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day" (John 6:39-40, NIV).

The days of evil are numbered. It may hold the world in its grip for a period of time, but "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:5, NIV) Evil will continue to swirl and rage, but not forever. And we do not have to agree to its terms or consent to its conditions.

Stand firm in the light and love of Jesus and as he said in John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled."

Give your heart to the unbreakable stronghold of Jesus.