Reading the day’s headlines with spiritual vision

As I read the world news today about the ongoing danger of radioactivity in Japan and continuing uprisings and conflicts in Libya and the Middle East, I am reminded in my prayers that we cannot be separated for an instant from God, who is all good.

Paul said it well in the Bible in a letter to the church at Rome: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:35, 37-39).

Jesus taught us about God’s great, constant, abiding love for each of His children. He showed us that God does not send evil in the form of disease, hunger, storms, lack, or death. He showed, rather, that God delivers us from evil by healing all forms of disease, feeding thousands, stilling storms, and raising the dead.

Jesus taught us about God’s great, constant, abiding love for each of His children.

Jesus taught us that there is an unseen reality of goodness and harmony right at hand, right where death and disaster, inhumanity and evil, may appear to be. Paul certainly understood that spiritual reality. And we too can get at least glimpses of this as we look up through our spiritual vision–our spiritual sense–and see beyond the chaotic material picture. Through his demonstrations of life, peace, and supply, Jesus was showing us what was real and powerful and in accordance with God’s law—contrasted with what was unreal and powerless and could be overcome by that law.

Our spiritual seeing brings with it workable solutions—inspired ideas with which to combat and overcome the apparent forces of evil that appear so real in the news of the day. Spirituality brings a greater degree of health and healing, safety and supply, love and peace, to all on this planet.

Our spiritual vision, and our strength and ability to help in dangerous situations, come from God. God, who is Love, is with us, each one, right now, and as we turn to Him in prayer, we will find inspiration and supply of every needed thing, whether it’s food, money, water, stamina, or strength—or ideas, hope, faith, or health.

As we turn to God in prayer, we will find inspiration and supply of every needed thing.

We can be assured based on Jesus’ revealing of eternal life—life not confined to matter— that no one is, or can ever be, separated from the God who is Life itself. God is giving each of us—those praying, as well as those working to rescue survivors, prevent catastrophe, or broker peace—the strength and dominion to rise above disaster and war and make good decisions in the world, to love one another and thus to be the ultimate victors. Jesus proved that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

As we prayerfully address the sometimes chaotic picture in the news, we have this Bible promise to lean on: “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4)

Originally published in the Christian Science Sentinel, April 25, 2011.
Photo by Jon S / cc by 2.0