He Is Always Here

 As we wrap up this year's Easter season, I can't help but feel melancholic.  I know, The Lord is Risen! Alleluia! Praised be His Holy Name!  We rejoice with the good news...but then...on comes Monday and it is back to the reality of a world that is so complicated and hard to navigate...that I feel deflated.  Our society has changed so much and mainly for the worse.  People have walked away from God and there is an entire generation who doesn't know who Jesus is or is even curious to find out.  Church is rejected and organized religion is dwindling.  The hope of Easter Sunday seems to dissipate with the early lights of the next day and my heart sinks.

I start wondering what God's plan is, and fear creeps in.  It seems that nothing but destruction, depravation and chaos are in line for our societies.  Humanity is forgetting all about Him, worshiping self above all else.  We are living lives more and more void of a connection with the golden rule, and less and less of us are interested in seeking Him first.  

When I get to moments like this, I need to collect myself and remember, God is in full control of everything.  He knows what He is doing.  Though it may seem as if He is about to allow humanity to destroy itself, I have to trust His plan.  I have to trust that He is present and that He cares.  The same way He cared even about Cain, He cares about us.  Yes, if there was a time in history when one would think God had abandoned mankind it was at the beginning when Adam and Eve got kicked out of the Garden of Eden.  Back when Cain was selfishly jealous of his brother Abel to the point of killing him, we would think God was just not there.  But it only takes a careful reading to realize that He was there all along.  

Genesis chapter 4, particularly verses 3 to 16 show us that it wasn't God who abandoned us.  It was Cain who left. God was there.  He even reached out to Cain knowing full well that he was pouting about the whole thing with Abel having presented a better offering.  God acted in compassion towards Cain, even though Cain was lost.  This is one instance of the dramatic pursue of Our Father for us.  Cain just refused to understand and to repent.  He could not get over himself and accept his responsibility, ask for forgiveness and learn from his mistakes.  Instead, he chose to pout and whine.  God, however, as the loving Father He is, put a cover of protection on him regardless of Cain's inability to grow up.  But Cain...left.  He, "went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden." (Genesis 4: 16)

And that's the story.  Since the dawn of mankind, it is us who leave God, not the other way around.  Even in our darkest moments, He is there.  Even when our vision is too clouded by our sin that we can't see Him, He is there...protecting us...loving us.  And that's the promise we must hang on to.  Even in the world's most desperate hour, when society seems to be choosing self destruction, God is here.  He is in control.  And I choose to trust.

I pray that the Holy Spirit would made His presence be felt with renewed fervor in these days of darkness and that people may begin to call on the Name of the Lord again.  May His mercy, compassion and infinite love guard us and protect us from our own sinful actions.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!