Over-matched!

Good Tuesday morning! Last night, I was over-matched by a pop bottle. Yup, all 42.2 fluid ounces of it. I couldn't drink the thing in one meal. I forgot to ask who was selling this behemoth of personal pop bottles. (The 2 liter and larger sizes I consider to be family sizes, and certainly wouldn't attempt to drink one at a meal.) The world over-matches us too. Not one of us can hope to match the world's forces of nature, government, or many other juggernauts that can end our lives, happiness, or well-being. Then, we run into one little statement of our Lord's in John 16. Yes, look carefully right at the end of this chapter. "...but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

"Hey! Overcome the world? When's that gonna start?" You and I may say when we read this. It surely doesn't seem as though our Lord has overcome the world in the present time, does it? Yet, He tells us to be of good cheer? We must always remember that God does not see time as we do. When Jesus gives the word, it's a done deal, but we may not see the fulfillment for a while in our time view. The prophecies in Ezekiel and Revelation of our Lord's victory over the military might of the world is a done deal, but to us these things have not happened yet. Before Jesus tells of His overcoming, He also reminds us of the tribulation we will endure in this world. Obviously both cannot happen at once to us in our time-limited view. Our Lord is there for the troubles with us, and is there at His victory. All is under His sovereign control, even in those things that He chooses not to control such as disasters and accidents, and the bad choices we get to make. In a fallen world with our fellow fallen people, we will have tribulation, but, be of good cheer, the overcoming victory of Jesus is as good as in the books.

To God be the glory!
Bucky