In Desperate Times...

"‘I don’t suppose there are many places where Alpha happens to the sound of gunfire and rockets flying, but for us the message is simple: it is about hope, light and a future because it is about Jesus.’

This is what Canon Andrew White, Vicar of St George’s, Baghdad, wrote to me in a letter describing their Alpha course in Baghdad. They were in a desperate situation. The church had been bombed more than once. Many people in their congregation had been killed. Some of the leaders had been kidnapped. For some, profession of faith in Jesus means almost certain death. Yet in these desperate times, Andrew White is able to say that Jesus brings hope, light and a future.

The psalmist speaks of ‘desperate times’ (Psalm 60:3). There are times in life when everything seems to go wrong. This can be true for a society and it can also be true for us as individuals. Maybe even now you are facing a desperate situation – perhaps with your health, a bereavement, the breakdown of a relationship, work problems, family difficulties, financial trouble or a combination of these. In each of the passages for today, we see how the people of God respond in desperate times.

Psalm 60:1-4

Hope in the midst of conquest

Sometimes it appears God’s people are being defeated. While there is a great revival in many parts of the world, such as Asia, in Western Europe, for example, church attendance has been in decline. Churches get closed. Christian morals are no longer seen as important.

There are desperate moments in the history of the people of God. This psalm is a national lament after a conquest by their enemies. The people of God felt rejected. David says, ‘You have shown your people desperate times’ (v.3a).

He uses the image of an earthquake to describe the desperation and uncertainty they faced (v.2). The same image is used today to describe turmoil in all spheres of life, not just in the literal shaking of an earthquake. The instability of the economy, corporate institutions, marriage and community are all often portrayed as shaking and fractured.

Yet in the midst of all this, there is hope – now as in the time of David. He writes, ‘But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow’ (v.4). The Lord has designated a place where his people may find refuge under his protection. This poetic language describes the confidence that we can have in the Lord, even in desperate times.

Thank you, Lord, that even in desperate times, I can take refuge under your protection."

1. Behind all of any pain is hope, thank You that we could find refuge in You.

2. It was a weekend of rest and peace, cruising along the small canals. Thank You for the relaxation.

3. Thank You for a fun trip!