City Life Starter

Written by Aisha Darwesh.

The Word

²⁵ “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, ²⁶ people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

–Luke 21:25-28 ESV

The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.

–Proverbs 28:1 NLT

Aisha’s Analysis

Today’s verses display the kindness of the Lord to warn His followers of looming threats to their safety ahead of time and encourage them to adopt a sense of confidence in the midst of things falling apart. 

Verses 25 and 26 paint a palpable picture of people fainting with fear as the heavens are shaken, but verses 27 and 28 turn the corner with the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Jesus invites His disciples to straighten up and shift their attention and energy on their greatest hope rather than on everything that is going wrong. 

It is a comfort to know that God does not shy away from the reality and impact of painful life events. I do not think God wants us to deny there are problems in life, but rather to deny those problems the power to define us. Only He can accurately assess the situation and define us according to His divine design. 

There’s no denying that bad things can and do happen. But what’s of infinitely more importance is that God shows up in the storm. And that is what gives us a reason to rejoice. 

Application

Today’s verses admonish us to focus our energy on God’s presence, not our problems. He is well aware of what is happening in this world. When the end comes, we can stand up straight, boldly confident that God will finish the work He started in us. He is faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6). 

Take an honest inventory of where you are spending a lot of your time, thoughts, energy, and resources. Are you factoring in God’s redemptive plan for you? Are you actively seeking His presence in the midst of your problems? 

There is no limit to the work God can do in your heart if you will only let Him. Look up and let Him in.

Prayer

Lord, I invite You to complete the powerful work of redemption You began in me. May I never forget that You are writing my story and that You wrote Yourself into the story. May Your name be glorified in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.