Nougat 22

Earthquakes … Volcanoes … Typhoons … Tsunamis … Hurricanes … Floods … Droughts … Famine … Plagues (Diseases) … Conflicts … Criminality – these headlines have been the global staple for several years now, rendering even the strongest of spirits ponderous as we attempt to read the signs of the times. Yes, to some degree it aligns with prophecy about the Last Days, but the steady diet of murder, mayhem and madness might have left many of us curious about our God of Peace. Of you are among those people, do not feel embarrassed, warnings and questions about the end have abounded long before us, and is the subject of today’s Holy Nougat.

“Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.” ‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You see, 1 Thessalonians 5 begins with a reflection about the Lord’s coming, and that includes the reminder that the saved need not worry, because their lives are rooted in Christ. This is our Living Hope, because in Him we have direct access to God’s presence, and in God’s presence is joy-fullness (see Psalm 16:11), Holiness and Peace (our nougat). Obviously this Peace, despite our greatest desires, is not about the absence of Conflict, Contagion or Criminality. Rather it comes from the assurance that these events are not surprising to our God, and so it is working together to realize a greater good, despite.

Further we recognize that having given us ‘dominion’ over earth, God’s relying on us believers to be transforming agents in a dying, decaying world. (And yes, I think the world is dying and decaying as long as we try to live without God). We thus have the realization that our mandate is not only about door to door evangelism; it also means that our holiness offers an alternative to the negativity around us. As holy set apart people, we are salt and light: healing, preserving and flavoring our world that’s needing the safety and direction God offers.

Our holiness points to Jesus as the world’s antidote against the malaise humanity has created. This is not a judgemental set apart-ness; but one that follows God’s dictates rather than those that are death-dealing unto eternity. Hence, we are in, but not of the world (see Jesus’ pastoral prayer John 17:11,14-15).

There must be that distinctiveness about us that invites others in; offering physical, emotional, mental and spiritual respite from the craziness of the world. That’s the blamelessness we seek to offer. May we turn to Christ, our Living Hope to make it our reality.

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May all we seek be found in Christ