Despite utter chaos, ungodliness, and lack of wisdom in our world, there is no need to despair.  As believers in Christ Jesus, our hope is firmly established in Him.  Our God is on our side and will prove Himself faithful, despite the travails of this world.

Today’s news confirms that, in many ways, our world is coming apart at the seams:

• In attempts to become the predominant terrorist group, ISIS is ramping up its methods of terror. Recently, a Jordanian pilot was captured by ISIS and eventually burned alive in a cage.  This follows sprees of beheadings, burying people alive, rape, maiming, and other atrocities.
• Russia continues to devour helpless regions along its border. In 2014, the Crimean crisis made news as Russia ultimately annexed Crimea.  Now, the power-hungry Russian administration, led by President Vladimir Putin, is once more attacking Ukraine.  Civilian areas have been shelled and citizens live in fear.
• In Syria, chemical weapons are used on their own citizens.
• Civil war rages, and Syria has become a battleground between the Syrian government, Syrian rebels, Kurds, ISIS, and al-Nusra Front (another terrorist group). See this interactive map for a visual of the mess in Syria.
• Iran surges forward with its nuclear ambitions, even threatening to expand enrichment if the US pursues sanctions.
• Jews are being targeted in Israel, France and elsewhere.
• Hezbollah has become active on the Israeli border.
• The world continues to turn a blind eye to Israel, leaving the tiny nation to stand alone in a neighborhood 650X its size and threatening to annihilate them.

I could go on, but you get the point: our world is groaning and is suffering the birth pangs that will usher in the last days.

However, as I studied through portions of Romans 8 recently, I was reminded that God has promised victory through Jesus Christ.  He is coming soon, and will redeem His children in glory!

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
~Romans 8:18-25

Indeed, creation is subjected to futility and groans in suffering.  Yet, we eagerly await our adoption and redemption, the day that our Lord Jesus Christ takes us from this world into glory.  Oh, how we look forward to that day!

But let’s close with a passage that follows in Romans 8:31-38.  I encourage you to read slowly, take it all in, then offer praise to our great God for the victory He has given us!

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,
“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Indeed, no news of the day is able to separate us from the love of God!  Be encouraged, friends!