Facing Your Crisis

 

Did you ever have a crisis in your life? Look back if you will for a while or a moment and think about it. What did you do? How did you face it? Maybe you are having a crisis right now in your life. Well, what are you doing about it? How are you facing it?

But, first, what do we mean by a “crisis”? What is, exactly, a crisis? Well, there is many meanings. It simply means a turning point. In the medical field or world it means a point in the course of a disease in which a decisive change takes place; either the patient recovers or dies. In our own lives we, too, have such a change at times; a definite change, or turning point in anything. In Greek, interestingly, crisis means a “decision”.

But, a decisive decision…a climax. So, we can then safely say that it is a critical time in our lives where a decisive decision needs to be made.

It also means a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events is determined.

So, we have here a turning point, a change, a decision, a climax in which our whole future may be determined.
Not only may there be a crisis in your life, but there is a constant cascade of crises in a world that is “cracking”. Not only politically, but economically. Also, in the religious aspect, we can see disunity, hostility, apostasy…a marked shaking and sifting… It’s everywhere!

Decisions are being made; some good, and some bad. Who, or what is making the decisions in your life? Someone, perhaps, in your family, a friend, someone in the church, or at work or school? Or, do you patiently wait? Or, pray? Or, fret? Or, do you first clear all decisions through Jesus Christ, while waiting and praying for His hand and will to work in your life? Or, again, do you just do nothing?

For the answer to these questions, let us return to the Garden of Gethsemane at the betrayal and arrest of Jesus Christ, and to Christ’s agony. Why the Garden of Gethsemane? We are often told to go there in the scriptures and the spirit of prophecy.

We are told in Christ’s Object Lessons (196), to go to Gethsemane. Why? We are, too, often told to go to the foot of the cross, or at the feet of Jesus. Again, why? “To see the value of a soul.” Behold Pilate mocking! To watch with Jesus Christ those hours of anguish, and agony; His betrayal, and arrest. Terrible, emotional, events.

But, there is a message for us today in the Garden of Gethsemane in the opening verses of Mathew 18:7-11… “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

There is a message in everything we read in the Bible, hidden messages, hidden treasures.
When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Apostle Peter tried to defend Him with a sword. Peter overreacted. He was, we can say impulsive. Jesus disapproved of this sternly and rebuked him and said, “don’t you know that I could ask my Father and He would give me more than twelve legions of angels”? A legion can be up to 10,000 men. Furthermore, Jesus said, “but how then should the scriptures be fulfilled”?

What is Jesus telling us here? What is the message for us today? Well, Jesus is telling us very clearly that there are two ways to face the crises of life. What can that be? It’s either “escape” or “fulfillment”! Instead of facing His crisis with the philosophy of escape, Jesus faced it with an attitude of fulfillment.

All of us face times of crises in our lives. We just cannot prevent the crisis hours of life. “A great crisis is soon coming on God’s people” (PK 187) “It’s to be a final crisis”(5T81).

“Starting in the USA, regarding the Sabbath. Wicked men and church men will harmonize in hatred for God’s law”(SD 217). “It’s approaching fast” (5T209). “God’s people must soon pass through this crisis” (Col412). It’s coming, whether you are prepared or not, whether you believe it or not. It’s coming.

What happens to us, now, in a time of crisis? “Character is revealed! Many will apostatize, and the apostates will betray their own brethren in the final crisis.” (Col. 4:12).

Hezekiah passed through a crisis, Elijah on Mt. Carmel, Moses, Jeremiah, David, Jacob, and many others.
The big question for us today is, “how do you face a crisis”? How do you meet it? What attitude do we take when the foundations are shaking and the walls are falling down around us? Sad to say, many people take the same attitude Peter took in the Garden. What attitude is that? The attitude of “escape”! Peter took out his sword and tried to defend Jesus. It was a very noble gesture indeed, but Peter was dead wrong in his thinking. What was the big mistake Peter made? And, the same mistake we often make?

It was this. He was preventing Jesus from fulfilling the very purpose for which He came to earth! Peter’s action was zeal without knowledge. He was defending when he should have been submitting.

But, before we criticize Peter too much, let’s look at our own lives. How many times have we tried to escape, when we should have surrendered our will to God?

Trying to escape the crisis is the natural thing to do, but this does not make it right. As Christians we live on a much higher plane; we live by faith, and not by sight.

Jesus sets the example for us. He faced the crisis with an attitude of fulfillment, and not escape; and that’s the attitude you and I need to cultivate.

“We also need clear minds in time of crisis.” (GW100)….”harmony and unity among brethren.” (7T182). But, “above all, strength from God.” (ST479) Trust in Him and not our own wisdom and understanding. We need to be “clinging” to the Bible, only.” (GC625) We need earnest prayer. We need men and women of firmness, decision, and unflinching courage. We need to hear His voice, as little Samuel listened intently. But, how? The Lord speaks to us through the Bible. This is His voice.

Why not run into the arms of your loving, Heavenly Father and let Him fulfill His wonderful purposes in your life…today?
That’s how to “Face Your Crisis”.
AMEN.

John Theodorou, USA