I’ll be honest. When I look at the social landscape, it can get pretty depressing. Morals are collapsing. The concept of family is collapsing. And my guess is that it will only get harder and harder to be a Christian in the future.
Frankly, that shouldn’t surprise us. Jesus told us that such a time would be coming.
But as I look at the hope the apostles had, it restores my hope.
They were facing heavy opposition from the Jewish religious leaders. Even when these leaders were rendered without argument, they still opposed the apostles.
Why did the apostles have hope? They remembered who was truly in control.
They remembered that God is the Sovereign Lord who created heaven and earth. Who spoke the universe into existence with a word.
And they remembered that though people might rage against God and set themselves against him, that all their raging was ultimately futile.
God reigns. And his purpose will stand.
That was made especially clear in the cross. Though people raged against God, in the end, they did whatever God’s hand and God’s will had predestined to take place. (28)
In short, God never, ever lost control. And he never will.
That’s our hope.
So as the apostles, let us pray for boldness to speak his word.
And let us pray that his Spirit would fill his people so that we might have the power to touch this dying world.
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 