John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Among the promises of God not often discussed in most church circles is this promise by Jesus. In this world you will have trouble. Storms are guaranteed to all of us. Illnesses, accidents, loss of homes and jobs are going to come into our lives. We should do all that we can to lower the odds of those things taking place and we will dive into that at a later time. Many years ago I had heard an incoming leader at my school was former military, he was a man that was powerful in body and spirit. I had glimpsed him once as he toured the school not really knowing who he was, but the description looked accurate. His Bible was worn, and he was the image of health and vitality. My school had very few with a military background and I looked forward to having a leader that might understand me. It was with great sadness when it was announced in one of my classes that he had passed away from a heart issue during a run. This man was preparing for leadership and did all he could, but I am certain that his family faced the storm of grief and confusion.
So while we have done all that we can know for certain that there will be storms. Working among those that I hang out with at the local homeless shelter, there are many very formally very successful people. They were living a life of success when a storm hit. Some worked for a company that went out of business unexpectedly. One was caught having an affair and his ex-wife ended up with the house, the company they had built together, his truck and the kids. From there he had ended up in a devastating addiction and jail time. He was not prepared for the storm. Worse though is that when the skies cleared, he could not find his way. His moral compass was broken. Nothing in his world looked the same and he could not decide where to go. For several years before I met him he had wandered very confused and lost. This man was highly intelligent, but he could not figure out how to get his life back on track. Loneliness and grief filled his heart. Bitterness ruled his every thought. What he was missing was a north star.
The north star was created by God to give direction to sailors and other wanderers. It is more accurate than a compass and will never fail you on a clear night. In our life we must establish a north star to guide us when we get spun around and confused. My north star is to hear from Jesus these words, “Well done good and faithful servant.” Of course, that is the Biblical version of what I want to hear. It is what I write out every morning as a reminder of where I want to go. But I really want to be greeted by Jesus surrounded by others and Jesus breaks out in a great smile. He grasps me and wildly introduces me to his friends. “Friends, this is Rich. Let me tell you about his incredible exploits. Let me tell you all about how he served me faithfully.”
