July 24, 2024

Viewing all things through the lens of the True and the beautiful!

The True

How Long?

How long do you have? It is a natural question to ask, and it is nearly always framed in the context of human life. Life expectancy is a fascinating concept, and there are many studies that consider the worldwide trends. For example, the United Nations finds that life expectancy in 2024 ranges from a low of 73.88 years in Seychelles to a high of 85.42 years in Hong Kong. The U.S. falls near the middle of the range at 79.25 years.

Of course, there are infinite variables that impact how long you will walk the Earth, so there is only limited utility in this data. That said, I’m fascinated by the relatively narrow range of these findings. Generally speaking, barring a disruptive event, most of us will live between 75-85 years on Earth. Certainly, a few of us will live a bit longer, but exceedingly few of us will make it to 100. It is what made author Anne Lamott say, “A hundred years from now? All new people.”

Luke 12:25 puts it this way: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?”

Here is the point: We are so often fixated on the thing we can’t change, and in an effort to impact such a microscopically short period of time!

To be sure, healthy habits and a healthy lifestyle reflect good stewardship of God’s creation—you (1 Cor. 6:19)! But even in the most optimistic of scenarios, your life on Earth is but a vapor (Jam. 4:14).

Your eternity, however, is everlasting! My favorite articulation of this is Ecc. 3:11, which says that God has “set eternity in the human heart.” In other words, He made you with a soul-level comprehension that you will live forever! This revelation is even more profound because it comes immediately after a promise we regularly stand on here at The Equipped: God will make “everything beautiful in its time.” Eternity is coming, and it will be beautiful!

So, how long do you have?

75 years? 85? Maybe even 100? No. My friend, you serve a God and Creator who put eternity in your heart before you drew your first breath. Your days are not limited to those spent on Earth, and your attention should not be so small as to focus on the duration of the vapor that is this world.

You know the end of the story. It is an unending existence in His presence. What hope, and beauty, and freedom that knowledge provides! You are free to revel in the here and now—yes, even in the pain and struggle! Your worry will not add a single hour to your earthly life. But neither will any of what comes against you steal the eternity set within your very being!

How long do you have? Forever and ever, amen!

U.S.

Biden Drops Out

President Joe Biden has withdrawn his bid for reelection. In a move announced on X and preceded by intense pressure from senior Democrats, the President said he will focus “all [his] energies on [his] duties as President for the remainder of [his] term.” Biden then endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who quickly appeared to secure sufficient support to claim the nomination next month. This dramatic shakeup in the campaign comes just 24 days after a poor debate performance intensified questions about Biden’s ability to serve a second term.

As if the incumbent withdrawing from the race was not sufficient campaign news for the week, former President Donald Trump named U.S. Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate, a U.S. district judge dismissed the classified documents case pending against the former President, and the Secret Service Director resigned after testifying to Congress about the failed security that allowed the near assassination of the former President.

Analysis and eternal perspective: What a dizzying week of developments! The pace of change around this story is rapid to the point that the attempted assassination of one of the candidates already feels like old news. It is a prime example of why we as The Equipped endeavor to guard not just the perspective through which we view the news, but also the volume at which we consume it.

This combination of stories no doubt fills your inboxes and your news feeds, and it is likely you need some awareness of them as you participate in your own self-governance. However, this week is a good time to remind ourselves to remain equipped by properly prioritizing the information we consume. This story, as historically significant as it is, should still be interacted with at a lower volume and priority than all that is True and beautiful (or, in the words of Philip. 4:8, all that is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy).

If you are an American, these are truly important developments in your country. But as you aim to impact your community for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, be intentional about resisting the temptation for these developments to dominate your intake of information.

World

Worldwide Computer Crash

Planes were grounded, transactions halted, and healthcare services hindered (among other significant disruptions) when a faulty software update crashed millions of computers around the world. The update was issued by CrowdStrike, a prominent cybersecurity firm, and the fallout is proving time-consuming to fully unravel.

Analysis and eternal perspective: Where is your trust placed? You live in a world of breathtaking technology that affords you astonishing potential for achievement. It is truly a testament to the wonders of our Creator who vested us with such creative and intellectual capacity! Given this wonder of potential, it is human nature to become dependent on these advancements. This story is a reminder of how fleeting that confidence can be, and how fervent we should be in placing our trust in an eternal, immovable, Truth.

Your trust and your hope, if it is to stand the test of time, must be built on nothing less than the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Take just six minutes and be encouraged by this timeless message in musical form. You will not regret it!

World

Show Trial

Evan Gershkovich, an American reporter for the Wall Street Journal, has been convicted of spying, and sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison. The ruling comes nearly 16 months after Gershkovich was arrested on charges most of the world views as fabricated. His trial was conducted almost entirely behind closed doors and is viewed by most observers as a show trial. The U.S. government believes Gershkovich is wrongfully detained, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the administration is working every day to bring him home.

Analysis and eternal perspective: You were created to be free (Gal. 5:1). It is a truth we remind ourselves of often here at The Equipped, and one we regularly work to embrace. A story like this reminds us to guard against taking too small a view of freedom. Imprisonment for the “crime” of journalism severely violates multiple important versions of freedom, including individual freedom of expression and a collective freedom of the press. It is barbaric, and the latest in a long line of evil actions carried out by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However, true freedom—the kind you are created for—has nothing to do with avoiding a prison cell or a wrongful conviction. True freedom is found in relationship with the Son of the one true God (Jn. 8:36), and it provides an eternal confidence that even a Russian prison cell cannot shake.

We should all stand against the oppression of Mr. Gershkovich (Is. 1:17). You should also walk in confidence, not because you are assured earthly freedom, but because deprivation of that temporary freedom cannot rob you of the true freedom for which you are created!

The Beautiful

The Cool of the Day

I find it fascinating that God, after creating the universe, was found “walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Gen. 3:8). It is clear from the text He was looking for the pinnacle of His creation (Adam and Eve), but it is equally clear from the context that God had formed a habit of dwelling within the beauty He had created.

He is an unchanging God, so if He did it then, He does so now. It is therefore no accident that many of us feel a more natural connection with God when we are out in the handiwork of all He made. Consider Abram: “[God] took him outside and said, ‘Look up at the sky’” (Gen. 15:5).

God is with you in every place and at every moment. But consider immersing yourself in the beauty of His creation this week. Do it for the express purpose of finding Him within the beauty He created!