when passions mount

right now. Christians all over the world are praying; news of the 23 Korean brothers and (mostly) sisters who have been taken hostage by the Taleban has spread like wildfire - across the technological realm, through messenger, sms - and now people all over the world are praying, for a powerful intervention by God. for a first time, perhaps the spiritual realm has never seemed more apparent, more bigger than our little personal spheres. and we pray, for a mighty God to intervene. last night's prayers were answered - the deadlines delayed, what next.

sometimes, in this time and age, we ask 'Where is God?'; we see the many wars, the bloodshed, the merciless killings, and in all honesty, we ask 'Where is God?' - we cannot simply say 'it's ok.' - how can the death of so many innocent lives be a flippant 'ok'. So where is God, why doesn't He seem to be in control? why all the suffering, why the torrent of tyranny and anarchy?

but here's the truth. God is in control. there are two sides to this coin. He has an appointed time for everything - an appointed time for the reign of evil, as much as an appointed time for the defeat of all the evil forces of the world. He is in control, watching, and there are reasons behind everything He determines. The whole world is in His hands.

We can't be over optimistic - over naive; yet we cannot be defeatists, we cannot simply succumb to the fear and uncertainty. here's the verse that sums it up, before Jesus leaves His disciples, He says that they will face much trouble in the world:

"But take heart, I have already overcome the world" (John 16)

what a promise. what a comfort.

and we pray on.