THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT BAD NEWS?
Your cell phone, like mine, constantly informs you of breaking news. Said another way, we likely remain aware of the latest corruption, calamity, conspiracy, or crisis taking place somewhere in the world. We know when the latest bomb has been delivered. We know when the most recent police officer has been shot. Within minutes, we become aware of the latest school shooting or celebrity overdose. News organizations work tirelessly to immediately inform us of the latest indictments, implications of infidelity, inappropriateness, and harassment. We know what is going on anywhere in the world within minutes and we have video in the palm of our hand to substantiate it. We swim in a reservoir of human depravity and it affects us whether we realize it or not. Eventually, the fish has no idea he’s in water.
Maybe we need a phone app with only good news. The good news about bad news is that in light of the ongoing horrible calamities around us, good news sounds more like great news. The bad news intensifies our desperation for good news. Maybe we need to dwell on the following breaking news taking place all around us every single day that we rarely hear enough about.
Someone in your community just attended their first of many AA meetings. A recently frustrated couple just found out they were pregnant. Someone’s adoption was just finalized after many months of waiting. A couple finally made up with one another. A widow and a widower just got married. Someone just received Christ. A mom was just declared “cancer free”. A teacher finally connected with an apathetic student. A little boy made his first basket in competition. A scared, abortion-minded girl just decided to keep her baby. Two estranged family members just reconciled after many years. A prayer meeting just started as another one just ended. Someone just laughed hard enough to cry. A teenager just cleaned their bedroom, voluntarily. A bully just entered counseling. A young couple just got funded to minister to refugees. An insecure middle school boy just summoned the courage to ask that girl to the school dance. Another person just “got saved”. A terror attack was just averted. Someone just unknowingly shared the gospel with a would be-killer. Someone just stepped on the scales, 40 pounds lighter. Someone just turned off their cell phone and started reading the Bible for the first time. Someone just turned off their cell phone. An unknown, seasoned prayer warrior just knelt down again—petitioning her Best Friend for help for this fractured and frantic nation.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Phil. 4:8). If you look closely, you will see the acrostic,
P.R.E-P.L.A.N.T. What are you planting in your heart and mind each day to meet the challenges of living in this fallen world?
Christ never promised us heaven on earth. Christ actually accentuated the opposite at times. Here is some good news to think about; if you trust in Him to have died as payment for your sin, and you accept that demonstration of love and grace by faith, then there is a heaven in your future. I encourage you to talk with Him about that truth in-between news alerts, for He did die, He did rise again, and He remains deeply interested in you each and every day.
-Dr. Gary Hewins
Lifepoints.life
