monthly focus ~ good news about the bad news

THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE BAD NEWS

Recently an EBM missionary wrote that he had started a series of messages from the Old Testament book of Judges.  At first glance, it would seem to be a discouraging book about some of the very dark days of Israel’s history.  How can any good news come from this bad news? 

As the missionary began working through the study and comparing Scripture with Scripture, he was able to share with his congregation that despite the discouraging circumstances that God’s chosen people found themselves in, centuries later God spoke through the pen of the New Testament writer to the Hebrews and commended men like Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah.  These men were very different one from another.  Everything God said about these men was not all honoring to God. Yet, God recognized them in the end.  That’s the good news about the bad news! 

Today, we are not to look at people for what they are right now but for what God will think of them when they meet Him.  God is using people in His work today who are not perfect to achieve His goal of perfecting the saints.  That should encourage us to stay faithful in ministry and to keep praying for one another.