The Earth Helped the Woman
The Rev. Kenneth J. Alden
T
he news has provided plenty in the past few months to make us feel that
the values and order we cherish are dwindling helplessly and unprotected.
Recent polls suggest that Christianity is in steep decline in our country while
the proportion of those with no particular religion is growing.
The fight to protect people’s right to exercise their conscience in the
workplace and marketplace seems to be losing. What hope does the New
Church have when it seems that holding to our understanding of the Lord’s
law will risk a media or legal storm that we could not survive?
Feelings of discouragement and hopelessness are familiar themes in the
Word, for arousing such feelings is a key strategy of the hells in times of trial
or temptation. So we have the story of Elijah pouring out his heart to the Lord:
“I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.” (1 Kings 19:14) Then there’s
the story of Elisha’s servant, seeing that the two of them were surrounded by
horses, chariots and a very great army, despairing: “Alas, my master! What
shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15)
We are also familiar with the terrifying picture of the seven-headed dragon
standing before a woman in labor, ready to devour her child as soon as it is
born. Later, after the child was caught
up to God and the woman fled, that
same dragon spewed a flood of water
out of its mouth after her, to carry her
away. (See Revelation 12:1-4, 15)
The Lord, however, does not leave
us alone. He is more closely present
in times of temptation than at other
times. He encourages us to be ready
and not to lose heart. “If the world
hates you, you know that it hated Me
before it hated you. If you were of
the world, the world would love its
own. Yet because you are not of the
What hope does the
New Church have when
it seems that holding
to our understanding
of the Lord’s law
will risk a media or
legal storm that we
could not survive?
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