We wrote yesterday that physical death was the only real certainty in our lives here on earth. Given that that is the case, it is interesting how much in our modern world we love to work with certainties. Our lives run to timetables and these are not just for buses and planes. We want to have the certainty that our money is safe and that internet fraud is not going to be allowed to empty our accounts. We even want to be certain what the weather will be like before we book holidays or venture out for the day. It seems that for many people for life to ‘go well’ and peacefully in this world, there is a need for certainty.
I wonder if that is why this pandemic has hit the western world so hard. Suddenly all our certainties have been shaken. The certainty that we can travel to where ever we want, whenever we want, and that we can see who we want when we want, has gone. The certainty that doctors will have tablets and answers for our illnesses, and that although we might have to wait, there will be an appointment to see a medical practitioner when it is necessary, has gone. Even for us Christians the certainty that we can go to church wherever and whenever we want to, has gone. In fact this has been a good time for us as Christians because it has brought us back to examine what really are our certainties in this world, and what can we really rely on.
For us the real certainties come to us from God, and wonderfully, there are many certainties for us to thank God for in the spiritual world. The world systems can and will be shaken about by all sorts of things; physical, economic and political, but God’s Kingdom cannot be shaken. Because of the victory on the cross and because of Jesus resurrection God’s Kingdom has been established and this Kingdom will keep on increasing (Isaiah 9:7), unlike the kingdoms and empires on earth that all come and go with time.
We have some great spiritual certainties which can undergird our lives when everything around us gets shaken. Wonderful truths like those expressed in that beautiful old hymn by John Newton ‘Glorious things of thee are spoken Zion city of our God’. His hymn ends with the amazing truth -‘Solid joys and lasting treasure none but Zion’s children know’. Spiritual certainties can’t be seen but they are stronger certainties than some of the things we put our faith in on earth.
‘Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see’(Hebrews 11:1). Here are some spiritual certainties for which we can thank the Lord. Certainties that will undergird our whole lives. Certainties that we can live by and which will give us peace in changing times, if we confess them and thank God for them daily.
1. Whatever else is happening in the world we know that one day it will become clear that ‘ The Kingdom of this world has become the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever’. Revelation 11:15
2. This same Jesus will never turn us away when we come to Him. ‘Whoever comes to Me I will never drive away’ – John 6:37. God has said ‘never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever’. Hebrews 13:5,8.
3. Not only will He never drive us away but he will never stop loving us. ‘The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.’ (Lamentations 3:22,23 NASB). And nothing can separate me from that love. Romans 8:39.
4. God is totally ‘for’ us and Jesus is interceding for us right now. Romans 8:31-34. ‘His goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life’ Psalm 23:6
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There are many, many more spiritual certainties like these. Some will be more relevant than others, and different ones will be relevant to us in different seasons of our lives. We can take God at His word, and as we thank Him for what He shows us about Himself from His word, we can find our rest of faith in our unchanging God.
