The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat

I remember many years ago watching ABC's Wide World of Sports with host Jim McKay. I can hear the music now and I can still picture that skier coming down the ramp and cascading head long over the side with Jim McKay announcing, the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." There's a parallel here for the believer. I am reading through the book of Revelation as I near the end of the year and without a doubt there is victory and there is defeat. However for many christians, they live like we are defeated. For sure the times we live in seem to portray that. The success of atheistic humanism in schools and society read like the Devil's litany. God is expelled from the public school, abortion is now legal, pornography is rampant on the world wide web, homosexuality is portrayed as a healthy alternative lifestyle and Christianity is misrepresented and ridiculed both on TV and in the movies.

In times like these, the temptation for some christians and churches is to withdraw in silence and to take the spiritual road of isolationism and become a "secret agent" for Jesus. But what does the Bible say? How does God react and respond to those who conspire against him? Read Psalm 2:4

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. KJV

But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. NLT

He who is sitting in the heavens doth laugh, The Lord doth mock at them.YOUNGS

Ha ha ha ha ... God laughs at them. And if God laughs at them, we can laugh at our enemies too. Why? Because we know the One who is going to laugh last. We know the victor, Christ and we are on His side and we will indeed enjoy the thrill of victory while those who mock Christ today will someday experience the agony of defeat.

These times are not unique to us. Christians have been scorned, mocked and persecuted ever since the birth of the church. The church has been continually surrounded by wickedness. The Psalmist many times asked why the Lord seemed to stand afar off. But like the Psalmist we can take courage in God's coming victory.

Why not take time this week to read Revelation chapter 19 which speaks of our great God ruling.

"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice ..."

Resting in Him
James

P.S. Here's a shot of that skier pummeling down the slopes ... ouch!