PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Luke 21:20-28
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)
Do these verses describe the end times, or the destruction of Jerusalem?
The answer is both, they speak to all times of crisis before Jesus’ return.
Every time terror and misery reign, “stand up and lift up your heads!”
In times when thing are most bleak, our redemption is drawing near.
Whether the crisis ends, or we die, or Jesus returns, we are rescued!
Believers through the centuries have met Jesus through their suffering and death.
We will too, whether Jesus ends our trial, returns or takes us home to himself.
It takes great faith to stand up and lift up one’s head in the midst of suffering.
Yet this is what believers through the centuries have done.
I think of martyrs like Stephen seeing Jesus exalted while they died.
“I see the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56)
This makes me think how I grumble and doubt when I face my first world problems.
Jesus is urging me, whether my struggles are big or small, to keep looking up.
To know that no matter what happens, my Helper is drawing near!
PRAYER
Lord, believers have stayed hopeful when facing torture and death. Help me to stay hopeful when I face my first world problems!
When those disastrous things happen that Jesus said would come – He says look up: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Jesus says look up – look to Him! He is the one. Like Peter walking on the water – ok as long as he looked to Jesus. I too must look up – not around me or within me – but up – raise my eyes and see my Saviour! Lord raise me up – help me stay focused on you while I’m living – but especially when disaster strikes and I get anxious – help me to look up!
Watching the news, hearing reports, locally and globally, it certainly seems like the end of times. All of our times are in God’s hands. He is in charge. I can only stand in helpessness and dismay. And I continue to pray that though the wrong is oft so strong, God is the Ruler and may His Spirit continue to work in all of our hearts opening our eyes and opening our ears to see His hand in all these happenings and hear His voice. Help me daily Lord for my Help is in the name of the Lord. I need the upward look each day for there is where my daily strength and help comes from – ot the downward look depending on myself and the powers that be.
1 O God, our Help in ages past,
our Hope for years to come,
our Shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal Home.
2 Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is Thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.
3 Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received its frame,
from everlasting Thou art God,
to endless years the same.
4 A thousand ages in Thy sight
are like an evening gone,
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun.
5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream
bears all its sons away;
they fly forgotten, as a dream
dies at the op’ning day.
6 O God, our Help in ages past,
our Hope for years to come,
be Thou our Guard while life shall last,
and our eternal Home!