The Unknown by Jeremy Benson

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power." Hebrews 1:1-3
​Nothing frightens people more than the unknown. There are many types of The Unknown. In the past, something as simple as nighttime caused an unease to fall over people. You can’t see in the dark. Danger could be anywhere. The unknown could be right in front of you, or behind the next tree. However, in our modern world, where lights can be turned on with the flip of a finger, the one unknown I think has causes me the most fear is the future. We have a saying, “Same old, same old,” and in many ways, that saying in comforting. Today was much like yesterday, my routine was not broken, and if all is good, tomorrow will be the same. It’s when things change that fear finds a place. The loss of a job, eviction, loss of a loved one, a new virus that we haven’t dealt with before; these cause change, and introduce an uncertain future. I can remember countless nights lying awake worrying about the unknown future I was about to face. I’ve held friends as they shook scared about what would happen tomorrow. Now we were all thrust into a time of uncertainty, and some panic, because of an invisible unknown that could invade our lives at any time; touch the wrong thing, breath the wrong air where someone has coughed.      
This new unknown has brought the world to a halt. No one saw this coming.     But did it surprise God?      
No. As Hebrews tells us, it’s Jesus who upholds the universe by the Word of his power. Nothing surprises our Lord. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and he controls all that is in between. Focusing on this has changed my life profoundly; in ways I didn’t even notice, but people around me noticed. I use to get really nervous when things were out of my control. (I still won’t let my wife drive if we are going somewhere together.) However, I realized that it’s best when it’s not in my control, but His control. I tend to mess everything up. He knows where he is taking me and tends to get me there safer and faster.      
Often over the last few days, I’ve thought of Elisha’s servant waking up to find an army around them, terrified he wakes up Elisha and asks, “My Master, what shall we do?” And Elisha says, “Don’t be afraid.”      
What? Don’t be afraid!      
Can you imagine what that servant was thinking? Are you kidding me! Look out there. I’m not sure if you noticed, Elisha, but those aren’t roses they brought you, those are swords!!      
That’s what I would have thought.      
But Elisha didn’t look out and say, oh you’re right. No, we read in 2 Kings, 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.     Before they were even aware of the problem, God had sent protection. Over the course of the last few years, while I still battle with fear, I have learned to let a lot of it go. My life isn’t in my hands, it is in His. And while the unknown can terrify me, there is nothing unknown to my God.      
Paul tells us in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. He goes onto say in verses 11-13, ... for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Paul here says he can face any situation because the Lord will get him through it. This is a man in prison who would later walk out and have his head cut off. But he found comfort in the knowledge that that is where the Lord wanted him.          
We are called to be the light of the world, a city on a hill. Peter said, sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence...     
We’ve heard that statement a lot. But how often have we stopped and considered, for people to ask what the hope is us is, we have to be showing that hope in a time or place or a manner where others don’t.      
So in this time of uncertainty and worry about the world we live in, I have found comfort in the instructions given by my Lord and his Apostles. Paul said, for God gave us a spirit, not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.      
Christ warned the twelve the night before his crucifixion. John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” While his kingdom has faced tribulations, including persecutions, plagues, wars, all of the worst we can imagine, it has continued to grow from a mustard seed to a tree that fills the earth. And while we deal with this new turn in our road, this latest unknown, take solace in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not a bird falls from the sky nor a hair from my head that he doesn’t know about. We are his people and in his hands. And with his grace, we can make it through this and whatever comes, together as the body of Christ.       
Mathew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.     
In this troubling time, let’s seek His Kingdom, and His will, and pray for our world, both for repentance and Grace. Amen.