Faith Talk Help!
TURNING CRISIS INTO JESUS CHRIST'S
I am a firm believe in the Bible. What is written within its covers is as true as the oxygen within my lungs, sustaining my life at this very moment. The words are God orchestrated and Spirit filled for our edification, encouragement, and instruction for the godly life. However, a powerful verse like Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose" (ESV) can sometimes seem confusing in the wake of crisis.
Last night I turned on the news for the first time in a while and the following crises showed up.
"MAJOR SHOOTINGS ACROSS THE U.S. THIS WEEK"
- Monday: 3 Killed at Garlic Fest in Gilroy, CA
- 2 managers killed, officer injured at Walmart in Southaven, MS
- 20 killed in shopping center in El Paso, TX
- At least 9 killed in nightlife district in Dayton, OH
America is in a crisis! Or is it? Is this just history repeating itself? Is this just the devil at work? I would say we live in a fallen world in need of Jesus, however, this is not new news. Therefore, how do we turn our current crisis into Jesus Christ's victory? How do we share the power of Romans 8:28 with our children, helping them to see and appreciate God's work in our current world.
The following are some talking points to consider in talking about any current crisis with your children.
1. God has already brought good about from the crisis in our view. The verb in Romans 8:28 is in the perfect tense meaning that the action being described has already been brought to completion, but the effects are felt in the present. When the world seems to be falling apart challenge yourself and your children to see how God has already worked to bring good and the effects from that good in the present reality you might find yourselves in.
2. We do not live in a perfect world. When crisis occur, they provide the perfect opportunity to explain that earth is not forever, nor was it designed to be. Jesus said in John 14:1-3 that He is going to prepare a place for us and will come back to take us there. Earth has never, nor never will be our eternal destiny, therefore let us use crisis as a teachable moment to propel us toward the home built by Jesus for eternity.
3. Teach compassion and forgiveness. We live in a world filled with hate, but could it be because we have so been taught to hate. Hate those who get in our way. Hate those who hurt us. Hate those who persecute us. Hate those who hate us. This truth of the world is far from the teachings of the Messiah. Consider Jesus words in Matthew 5:44 to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Times of crisis are times to show Jesus' love, compassion and grace to those who inflected the pain and suffering as well as those effected by the situation. The church grew in the 1st century because it was compassionate like Jesus, not because she fought the persecutions.
4. Look for opportunities to help as a family. During a crisis there is always an opportunity to help. Look for ways to help those in need. Consider joining a relief team (such as the churches of Christ disaster relief) as a family. Scripture calls us to do good everyone, especially those of the household of faith (Gal 6:10).
5. Pray. Pray is our most powerful weapon, but often times treated like a water gun. Pray for healing, peace, restoration of joy, and for the opportunity so show and share Jesus to others. Pray with thanksgiving and rejoicing (Phil 4:4-7) and notice how God will work. Pray as a family, teach your children how to pray, and then write down when God answers because He will!
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