“For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” – Luke 19:10

The other day I was watching a popular mini-series that came out depicting scripture. Supposedly. It was entertaining, I suppose. And it got a lot of parts right. But as typically happens when those involved in Hollywood and the New Age Christianity movement get their hands on the Word, there were subtle and disturbing differences between what was on screen and the Truth.

The one thing that stuck with me was a phrase that the actor portraying Jesus spoke. When someone asked what they were going to do if he joined Jesus, the actor replied, “Change the world.”

Woah. That stopped me in my tracks. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? It’s deceptively non-threatening sounding. Some would even claim it is true. I am not one of those.

If Jesus changed the world at all, it was through His people and the lives changed through salvation, and then those they go on to love according to His example. He is still changing the world in that way, it’s true. But Jesus did not change the world. 

This lie is one that would strip hope from ones such as we… ones who live in constant pain and disability. Ones who cling to Hope and walk by Faith. If we spend all of our time and energy trying to figure out why the world is such an awful place that doesn’t hold only good things for us as children of God, we have missed the entire point.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

There are those who would truly love for us to believe that this world belongs to us. That there is no longer an enemy or a battle to be waged. While there is no doubt that God has won, has overcome each and every obstacle that this world can throw at us and use to sap our faith, there is also no doubt who is still the ruler of this realm.

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. – 2 Corinthians 4:4

These same folks would love for us to be distracted fighting the troubles of this world and our earthly bodies.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:12

Oh, yeah, and most of all if anything goes wrong here in our lives on earth, they would love for us to lay the blame at God’s feet.

Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen. – Galatians 1:4-5

See, that’s the truth, Dear Ones. Jesus came to rescue us from this world. He came to reconcile us to God, to adopt us into His family. He came to change me and you. He came to change the state of our relationship with God. He came to change our prospects for eternity. He came to offer relationship and eternal life and mercy and grace and all things good.

What He did not come to do is to change the world. The world goes on as it always has. It remains broken. It remains antagonistic. It remains enthralled with the wrong prince. The world is bent on our destruction. Still.

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. – Hebrews 13:14-15

Please don’t let your hope be slowly leached away by believing the rubbish this world throws at us. Especially the rubbish cloaked as God’s word. The only way we will achieve victory over this still-evil world is by holding tight to the truth, most especially in the times in our lives when it is hardest to do so.

For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. – 1 John 5:4

The truth… the beautiful truth… is that no one can change the world. Well, except Adam and Eve. They did it. Christ fixed their mistake, but not by changing the world. Just by wooing us back in the most selfless of ways. Just by longing for us more than He longed for His own life or diety. In light of that, what difference do the conditions of this world make?

And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. – 1 Corinthians 15:19

We are not to be pitied. Cling to an eternal perspective. Cling to a higher purpose. I’m clinging with you.

Dear Lord, thank You for aiming higher than simply hitting the “reset” button. Thank You for the unimaginable opportunity to be Your sons and daughters. Oh, how we long for Your presence. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…

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May God Bless You,

Shelly