IF ONLY!

As Christians we know Jesus is the only hope for the world.

Paul speaks of this hope when he writes: “Remember . . . that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens . . . strangers from the covenants of promise, having NO HOPE and without God in the world. But now . . . you . . .  have been brought near by the blood of Christ. FOR HE HIMSELF IS OUR PEACE” (Ephesians 2:11-14, my caps).

The lost generation today is like the multitude in Jerusalem over whom Jesus wept. The people of Christ’s day lost what he had wanted to give them. They missed true freedom. They lost the peace that comes from the assurance of having all sins forgiven. They missed the healing touch of Jesus. They lost a hiding place from the storm. They missed the abiding, comforting, guiding presence of the Holy Spirit.

It was over these lost masses that Jesus wept and cried, “If only! If only you had known what I wanted for your life. If only you had taken what I offered you. I wanted to shelter you, to spread my wings of comfort over you. If only you had listened. If only you had known my love and mercy toward you” (Luke 19: 41-42, my paraphrase).

Christ was saying, “If only you had known the provision made by my heavenly Father for you, you would have known the peace that passes all understanding.” The Bible offers up this same cry, “If only!” from cover to cover. Today we who believe have this refuge, one to turn to in our deepest struggles. Assured that the same power passed up by those who rejected him is freely given to us who have received Jesus’ offer by faith.