What we remember when the world feels heavy

From the Director of Faith Formation

Over the dinner table with my extended family, we began reflecting on the state of the world. War, cost of living, finances, politics… nothing was off the table. I am blessed to have a family we can do this with! 

We all share a mutual faith in Jesus, so conversation is grounded in scripture, and that Jesus Christ is Lord, a privilege I do not take for granted. 

In the chaos of the world, the comfort found in scripture brings hope and a little perspective that even with the mess, God is our rock and stability. 

Scriptures like Psalm 46:10-11 are often mentioned around that dinner table, 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Whilst driving, a song came on that I thought was beautiful and so reassuring. I noted the name and artist and looked it up; written by JJ Heller, a song titled ‘In Your Hands’. These words stood out to me,

When my world is shaking, heaven stands

When my heart is breaking, I never leave your hands.

If we spend too much time in our own thoughts, we can find ourselves trying to solve the problems before us, not in a healthy, constructive manner, but in a way that borders on obsession. 

Have you found yourself repeatedly checking online petrol apps to find the cheapest drop of fuel? 

Do you keep refreshing the news websites to see if anything new has happened in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East? 

Are you kept awake at night wondering how you’ll make ends meet as the cost of everything keeps on going up and up and up?

These are quite natural reactions to the messiness of the world we live in. Our world does indeed feel like it is shaking, our hearts may indeed feel like they are breaking as we bear witness to the struggle, heartache, and destruction that fills our news feeds and perhaps our personal sphere.

In the middle of the turmoil of our world, perhaps we ought to take pause to remind ourselves of those words so beautifully composed by JJ Heller; when our world is shaking, heaven stands firm. When our hearts feel as though they will break, we will never leave His hands. The God who formed the universe by His spoken word is firm and unmoving; we are held in His hands. Think on that for a minute.

The book of Job explores this, with a stunning conclusion to the dialogue between Joband  God. After patiently listening to Job’s complaint, God responds with a stark reminder that He is God and we are not. From chapter 38 through 41 we read of the wonder and might of God, the creative force that He wields, the power which He holds.

Job 38:4-5 tells us,

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?

By the end of this Job is humbled, rightly reminded that while, yes, the troubles and concerns we face are real and deserve our attention, however, the attention we do give them ought to be tempered through a lens of God’s sovereignty, power and might. For us to move from obsessive control or worry, we need to arrive at a place of surrender to the Lordship of Christ.

While we may still face increasing costs and a level of uncertainty in our world, there is certainty, stability, and hope for the future found in God above. Christ is our firm foundation. Hold onto that, speak that with your words, believe that in your heart. And as you continue onwards, navigating the very real pressures that we all face, know that this community, this Emmaus family, is one where you matter, where you belong, where you can have a voice. 

So, encourage and pray for one another, help each other orient our eyes and our hearts to God above, trusting that He is always with us. 

Adam Wood 

Director of Faith Formation