Houston, Texas (USA) is in a state of chaos. Hurricane Harvey has caused massive amounts of rain to fall, rivers to overflow, and streets, homes, and buildings to be submerged under water. Thousands are stranded in their homes, and tens of thousands are living in stadiums, warehouses, or churches. To make matters worse, criminals have taken advantage of this time by impersonating government officials, stealing from people, or simply looting abandoned homes. It is utter chaos.
A Smooth Life in an Otherwise Chaotic World
Compared to the citizens of Houston, my personal life seems fairly smooth at the moment. Of course “Harvey” is not the only chaos-generating issue in the world right now. ISIS, North Korea, and partisan politics represent just some of the chaos in the world around us.
Of course, we all have our personal struggles we cannot always understand or control — the devastating medical diagnoses, the words you never thought you would hear from a loved one, the job you no longer have, or the overwhelming grief you still feel long after the funeral.
We all feel threatened by
the chaos of a fallen world.
What is Your Level of Chaos?
As you look at life from your perch, does it seem like chaos is all around you? Chaos and disorder is a part of what it means to live in a fallen world. We know things do not always go right, life is not always smooth, and at times, it seems like everything around us is falling apart, threatening to overwhelm us.
In Genesis chapter one, we are told that at the beginning of creation, the earth was formless, void, and dark. That is chaos in its purest form. Some translations use the very word "chaos" to describe the primeval state of our universe. But it was precisely in that time that God spoke, and out of chaos came form and order. Light and beauty appeared, and out of chaos, God made the Garden.
God is Not Overwhelmed by Chaos
As we experience life, we know there will be times of pain, uncertainty, confusion, and grief — the chaos of life. But God is not overwhelmed by chaos. Instead, He walks above our disorder. As we cultivate a more intimate walk with Him, our chaos, though no less real, becomes less overwhelming.
There is One who controls chaos,
and He invites us to walk with Him daily.
An intimate relationship with Jesus does not necessarily make chaos disappear, but it does mean we are walking with the One who has it under control.
As Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, we are entering a time of introspection and prayer leading to Easter. Let us reflect on the significance of death preceding resurrection, urging readers to embrace a daily practice of surrendering self in preparation for our spiritual transformation.