Who Are You Going to Believe?

We got a notice the other day of friends in southern California who were being evacuated for that huge fire. The coverage was incredible, with home after home aflame and no firefighters present. The winds were too high and it was an uncontrollable inferno. I saw one interview where a woman watched her home burn on the news coverage. "Yes, that's my house!" And I think of our "fires." Do we "count it all joy" or do we assume the worst?

Paul wrote,

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? (Rom 8:31-32)

Looking at flames burning down a house, do we believe that? Watching a child die, a loved one perish, do we believe that? When a job is lost, do we believe that? When our kids are in peril, do we believe that? We have, in front of our eyes, evidence that God is withholding good things. And we have this sure confidence that He will not withhold any good thing. Who are we going to believe -- our eyes, or Him?

Life can be difficult. We have a quaint little saying: "Into each life some rain must fall." That doesn't quite cover it, does it? But we get it. Bad things happen. Everyone, at some point, experiences tragedy. We who are believers have to ask ourselves, "Who are you going to believe? Your eyes, or God?" The answer will have a major impact on our response.