Life is difficult - but He is adequate!

Life is difficult....

It is with those three words that a popular psychiatrist began his book, which was first published in 1978. It became a national best-seller for the next four years after that.

Life IS difficult, isn't it? Of course it is. We ALL know that! But what we oftentimes don't know, and sometimes desperately need to know is, "How can we get a handle on it?" How can we cope with those difficult situations (and relations) of life?

In the book to which I just referred, the author suggests that what people really need to is "reach a HIGHER level of SELF-understanding."

I disagree. Respectfully, I would like to suggest that what people REALLY need, in order to get a handle on life - especially when it seems so hard and it hurts so much - is to reach a DEEPER level of GOD-understanding. In the words to the title of one of "MK" Steve Green's songs, "People Need the Lord!" I need the Lord. YOU need the Lord!

You see, the truth of the matter is that life IS difficult. And because it is, I believe that the best "therapy" for each difficulty is, first and foremost, to take a good, long look at the Lord God, as He is revealed to us in and through the "Word" of God - both "incarnate" (Jesus) and "inscripturated" (the Bible).

Concerning the former, the "incarnate" Word of God, the Bible says, "The Word became flesh and lived for awhile among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14)."

And when He came, it was His cousin, John, who said, "BEHOLD the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). In other words, take a good, long LOOK at Him! He is THE Son of God, THE Savior of Man, and He is THE ONLY sin-bearer and THE BEST care-giver this world will ever know! So, take a good, long LOOK at Him!

That is why we also sing,

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a LOOK at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
LOOK full in His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Or, in the words to yet another gospel song, "LOOK and LIVE! LOOK to Jesus now and live!" For Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full!" (John 10:10).

So, LOOK to Him with the eyes of faith. Sure, life is DIFFICULT! (And who knows what this New Year will bring?). But when you LOOK to Him, what you will see is One who is more than ADEQUATE for all those times when life seems so DIFFICULT! Remember, He has promised that He would always be PRESENT with us, and that His grace would always be SUFFICIENT for us! (Read Psalm 46:1).

By the way, the next time life seems so hard and hurts so much, please don't forget that there is ALSO coming a day when our "faith shall be sight," and we shall BEHOLD Him in all of His glory! And what we will then SEE is what we will then BE forevermore - just like Him! (Read 1 John 3:1-2).

Yes, life IS difficult. But, don't forget (in the words to the refrain of one of my all-time favorite songs):

It WILL be worth it all,
When we SEE Jesus.
Life's trials will seem so small,
When we SEE Christ.
One glimpse of His dear face,
All sorrow will erase.
So, bravely run the race,
'Til we SEE Christ!

And what we will see then is what we will get. And what we will get is One who is not just ADEQUATE, but One who is INFINITE! The KING of Kings and LORD of Lords!

That is why we also say, "Maranatha! Even so, quickly come, Lord Jesus!" (Perhaps He WILL return this New Year!). And if He does come back for His "Bride" in 2008, then please also remember (it's also another favorite gospel song),

When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all SEE Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!

Looking UNTO Jesus - and FOR that "blessed hope!"

Oh, yeah . . . HAPPY NEW YEAR!