It’s been a while since I’ve done a “traditional” episode of my Cephas Hour podcast, which presents the finest in Christian rock and pop from then and now — emphasis on the then — along with some commentary. Hope this makes up for it.

I have been slowly getting reacquainted with my faith over the past few weeks. Not that I’ve ever abandoned it, but I had definitely left my first love. Thanks be to our gracious Father and His loving Son, Jesus, for not abandoning me when I began to strongly think that was the case. Jesus remains faithful and forgiving. For this, the words of gratitude do not come strongly enough.

You can listen to the podcast on demand at its website (here’s the link), or wherever you get your podcasts other than Spotify, because they still don’t get it. Thanks.

In Hebrews we find this quote from Proverbs:

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
     and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
     and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

Being someone who has gone through the proverbial “it” for many months now, and is still going through “it,” I’ve often wondered if the root cause is the consequences of my sinfulness coming home to roost or something else. Not to excuse myself, for I am indeed a sinner — and then some — but I’m beginning to see that it could well be something else. Namely, God doing what He has been, and remains to be, necessary to get my attention and get things back together in proper order with Him.

It takes a level of faith surpassing the humanly-musterable norm to praise God in the storm; to sing “it is well with my soul” when the world is crashing down around you. It is not escapism to find refuge and solace in Christ when everything is going wrong. It is an admittance of our utter reliance on Jesus to get us through this mess we call life, reminding us that He remains in control regardless of appearances. This world can, and indeed will, fail you. Relationships falter. Employers will cut you off at the knees regardless of your value to them. Disease and injury will befall you. Those you love will take their leave from this mortal coil. But the love of God remains. It may seem distant. But it’s not. He remains faithful and patient in His wait for us to fall on our knees before the blood-stained Cross that for 2,000 years has stood as a reminder of the ultimate reality. And He will never reject His own.

In the Gospel of Luke, we find Jesus saying:

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”

We live in a world populated by those who emulate the unjust judge Jesus mentioned in a parable also found in Luke, people who neither fear God nor respect man, whom God has created in His image. We usually call them politicians.

There are many reasons to fear in this world. Fear of rejection by those we love. Fear of financial calamity. Fear of natural calamity. Yet we can find a reason not to fear, a reason rooted in the knowledge that this life we know is not all there is. We can take comfort in this.

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, we find:

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Later in the same chapter, he says this:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

It’s good to know we have reason to hope.

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