‘When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it, they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.’ (v19) 1 Chronicles 16:19–24
In 1938, with the world on the verge of war, F.D. Roosevelt, President of the USA, paused a cabinet meeting to join an estimated 40 million Americans in listening to the commentary on a horse race in Baltimore. The race was the long-anticipated run-off between the aristocratic and Triple Crown-winning War Admiral, and the undersized and underachieving Seabiscuit (pawned off to horse owner Charles Howard for just $8,000 two years earlier).
Like Goliath to the diminutive David, War Admiral lost the contest by four lengths, a whopping ten metres. There are many voices expressing concern at the decline of the Christian Church. Indeed, the recent UK Census is expected to reveal that those identifying as Christian across the nation will fall below 50% for the first time.
Yet, let’s place our confidence in Jesus’ words and refuse to worry (John 14:27). God has ensured that from the beginning of time His name has been known. Individuals in search of God found Him and He established a people. They wandered in the desert, were given a homeland and endured captivity. In time, Jesus came to deal with the separation between God and humanity.
Both experience and history reveal that size doesn’t matter. God’s purpose is unstoppable and we are privileged to participate in it. Do not fear! No human act how dangerous it could be can prevent God from filling the earth with His glory as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14).
RELATED SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: Psa. 78; Hab. 3:16–19; Acts 2:22–41; 28:17–31.
AN ACTION TO TAKE: One thing we must all learn to do is to trust God even in the face of contradictory evidence (2 Cor. 5:7). How challenging do you find that?
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, I give thanks that nothing and no one can undermine Your Word of truth. Amen.’
Photo by Mathew Schwartz and Marco Paulo Prado on Unsplash
