We live in a war-torn world filled with pain, hurt, violence and death. However this is not how God intended creation to look. In the beginning, God created a “Good” world, but humanity disobeyed and rebelled against God, bringing a curse on the world. God’s creation became polluted, twisted and distorted by the influence and power of Satan. In effect the earth became a war-zone where, as C.S. Lewis said, “Every square inch of this cosmos is at every moment claimed by Satan and counter-claimed by God.” Death and destruction, which were not part of God’s original plan, became a “natural” part of our world.
When Jesus rebukes the storm mentioned in Luke 8:22-26, he is tipping his hand to the ultimate victory and restoration that is to come. It won’t always look like this. Jesus came and died on the cross to reconcile us to God and to give us the gift of eternal life, where there is no more death and sorrow.
“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” Colossians 1:19-20.
In Isaiah 11:6-9 God promises that his creation will again be restored. Someday God will destroy the spiritual forces of evil and reconcile all things to himself. At that time He will restore and renew humanity and all of creation. Even in the storms of life, we can live with a peace that passes understanding, and be assured that we are saved and that it’s going to be okay.
It is in the ministry of Jesus that we see glimpses of what is to come. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus confronts and rebukes sickness, death, and the destructive forces of nature. As followers of Christ in the midst of this war-torn world, we can have hope to begin living-out this reality right now. By the Holy Spirit’s power, we can help to reverse the curse on this world by revealing Christ’s love and peace.
No matter what… we win with Jesus! His resurrection has decided the war. But we still have battles to face, and through the next few weeks looking at the Biblical directives for how to handle the fight.
