Trusting Jesus...chapter 7

Jesus assured us of two things: presence and promise. Jesus never guaranteed that we would be spared of suffering or victimization by evil doing; in fact, he said flatly,"In the world you will have trouble"(John 16:33). What he promised was that during our desolate hours there would be one set of footprints. In varying degrees, suffering and loss touch every life-as does the presence of God in Christ if we have faithin his presence and hope in his promise. In the midst of the ruins-in the premature death of a loved one, in the hell on earth we call a crack house, in the ache of heartbreak, in the sheer malevolence of Kosovo and Rwanda- the presence of God abides. The trusting disciple, often through clenched teeth, says, in effect, God is still trustworthy, but not becuase of unrestricted power to intervene on my behalf; he is trusworthy because of a promise given and sustained in Christian communities throughout generations.
In the midst of tragic events that leave us bereft of understanding, trust does not demand explanations but turns to the One who promised, "I will not leave you orphans" (John 14:18). In the face of a pressing need for answers and solutions to life's problems- answers that are not quickly forthcoming- trust in the Wisdom and Power who is Jesus Christ knows how to wait.