Even as Australia grows in prosperity, we are often reminded of two things that easily rattle our cages: sickness and terror. This week, I’ve witnessed both.
On the one hand, I’ve seen the reaction of the world to the recent terrorism in Paris, and the helplessness of a world power to defend herself against barbaric acts of violence in the very heart of her city.
On the other hand, I’ve seen the impact of failing health as I witnessed my wife Mandy suffer a stroke (which fortunately has left no signs of long-term damage).
Both health and safety are things that we foolishly take for granted, even though we know the frailty of life and the certainty of death.
Prosperity can provide us with better creature comforts, yet even the most wealthy and powerful cannot escape the effects of sickness and terror.
Today, as ever, we need to heed the word of God:
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust. Feet trample it down— the feet of the oppressed, the footsteps of the poor. The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth. (Isaiah 26:4-7)