Contrasts

           We are pretty much aware of contrasts that occur in our lives. About three weeks ago, I was feeling fine and went in for some medical issues and had some blood tests done. I left the facility feeling fine and went home to a night a peaceful sleep only to have it interrupted at 2:45 in the morning. I hesitated to answer the phone and so laid in the bed until about 5 until I could no longer find out who the dingbat was that called me at 3 in the morning. It was the VA emergency room requesting that I come in immediately for an EKG. My potassium was 6.6 and apparently could cause a lethal heart attack at any moment. I, however, at the time, felt rather good and then came the IV's in each arm and the beginning of two hospital stays, one surgery and three bottles of a horrible tasting stuff to clean me out. I was begin detoxed so to speak of the excess potassium. “I felt good when I went in, but....” That's how contrasts often begin. Second Timothy 3:10-13 says, “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” We often quote the first five verses of this chapter as they describe the age in which we live. In the last days, perilous times will come, etc. etc. Paul begins the next section in verse 6 with the word, “but.” You know something is coming that is important. Notice the the words, “...out of them all the LORD delivered me” and “all that will live godly I Christ shall suffer persecution, The closer we get to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the more things will get worse. It will seem as though the evil in the world will keep getting worse and worse but we long for the contrasts, the “buts” that will come when the Lord Jesus Christ steps on the scene. Paul had that great faith in Christ that no matter how bad things looked Christ was going to take care of all of it. That is our hope also in this day. In other words, “He” is our hope in this day that no matter how bad things look, there will come that time when everything will be made right. You may have some contrasts in your own day, today, and yet you also can have hope in the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ who rose from the dead and so has guaranteed your deliverance. Praise God today for the contrasts and His deliverance.