Chat with J: 12/13/2020

 Hello Family and Friends.  I hope all of you are doing as well as you can be today and enjoying all of the blessings that have been given to us today.  

Fear!! There is a lot of fear in the world today and that fear reaches places very close to us here in our places we call home.  I know that at this time there are probably more examples we can look to and say we fear what is happening than we can look at and say we do not fear.  I genuinely hate the circumstances we all find ourselves in regarding COVID or the issues surrounding it but to react to every instance in fear is to invite further potentially more damaging issues later.  What did Yoda say to Anakin Skywalker at the Jedi council in the Phantom Menace movie?  Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering.  That little 3-foot Jedi was on to something there.  

What did Jesus say to His disciples in John 16:33?  In Him (Jesus) we might have peace.  Jesus continues that in the world, we will have some serious challenges.  Some of those challenges might seem impossible to overcome and some we may fear to the level of being paralyzed.  Jesus continues by saying that we should be of “good cheer” knowing that He has overcome the world.  This should act as a reminder to us that the world has seen a lot of major challenges, it is seeing one now and it will continue to see them in the future but we can have solace in Jesus.  Sure we are getting close to Christmas and might be thinking about Jesus a little more but we need to remember that He is in control - fear…...fear is NOT in control.  

So regardless of how we all got to this point with the shutdowns, financial issues, health challenges, fear-mongering or even political strife, we should remember that Jesus; our Lord, will have the final word.  I will close with what I think is a perfect passage for today.  Paul says in Romans 15:13, Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.  

I love you all - May you enjoy the peace of Jesus. 

J.