Fear Not! We Know the Outcome. (What does this have to do with the Redskins?)

We live in a scary world. In my neighborhood…

1. We’ve got Syria in a civil war just north of my location and who knows what she will do with her Chemical Weapons.

2. Egypt is becoming an Islamic fundamentalist nation.

3. The Palestinian Authority and Hamas continue to seek to create another Arab state on our border that does not recognize Israel as a Jewish nation.

4. Terrorists seek to kidnap our soldiers and blow up our children.

5. Hezbollah is itching to attack us.

6. Iran is seeking nuclear weapons and has alliances with Hamas and Hezbollah.

Yes! It is a scary world indeed! But what does that have to do with the Redskins?

USAToday Ruined my Morning

This morning I had a great plan. The Washington/Dallas game came on at 3:20 AM. My DVR has changed my life! When I first moved to Israel, I would have been tempted to wake up and watch the game. Now, I can simply record the game and the plan was to watch it this morning.

I woke up and Madi the mutt, who despite being ten years old shows no lack of excitement over me getting up in the morning, ran around until I told her I would take her outside. I grabbed my iPhone and we descended three floors by elevator, where we exited our building and she went about her business.

Without thinking I glanced at my phone to see if I missed any calls. A few months ago my USAToday app started posting headlines a couple times a day in the wake of breaking news. Before I knew it, my eyes were staring the word Redskins! I quickly looked away, angry that I had ruined my morning—I knew the outcome. At least my team won, I thought in consolation.

I decided to watch the game anyway. On a few occasions, like—when the Cowboys scored first, or the Redskins looked lethargic, or when Romo had the chance to lead a game-winning or game-tying drive—I doubted. Maybe my Redskins lose. But I would comfort myself with the knowledge, that like an ancient prophecy, I knew the outcome. No matter how bad it got, I was quite sure that the word of USAToday would stand firm. And it did. Redskins are in the playoffs.

How Much More, the Word of God!

If USAToday can be trusted in reporting sports outcomes, then how much more should we trust the eternal word of God? The prophecies about the future of my country from the Bible are surer than the newspaper reports concerning the past. I would be lying if I don’t sometimes wonder if Iran will destroy us or if Hezbollah will reign down missiles upon us. But I find comfort in the fact the end has already been written.

“I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God. (Amos 9:15) “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,” says the Lord. (Jer. 30:3) Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and say, “Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.” (Jer. 31:7) I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. (Is. 65:19)

Yes, it is scary world, but just like me this morning… we already know the outcome. God wins in a rout! Sure there may be challenging times ahead, but we are called to “set our hearts on things above” (Col. 3:2). God has a plan. He is going to set up His eternal Kingdom. Yeshua will return to fight against God’s enemies and bring salvation to Israel (Zech. 14). Be encouraged my friends, we know the outcome!