Volume 1
God Has Always Saved Us
Issue 4
May 20, 2020
To some, our situation is grim because they focus only on a material existence in this short life with no belief in a loving God who watches over us, nor hope of a glorious afterlife. From that perspective, things seem dismal to be sure! Our beloved country is borrowing trillions of dollars; approximately 33.6 million Americans are out of work; there have been nearly 90,000 pandemic-related deaths; and some economists are warning we have entered a second Great Depression. Horrible as our condition is currently, with such terrible losses, there is a saving light shining across our land and the entire world. Individuals are being forced to take inventory of their lives and think about eternal things and the meaning of their existence. God’s people have been in similar situations before, and far worse, yet ultimately those who belong to God triumph! Adam and Eve fell from grace, yet God gave them a remedy for sin and a promise of salvation. Noah and his family were faced with the extinction of humanity, yet God showed them a way of escape and safety. Abraham and his family were in a pagan land, yet God gave him and his descendants a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses and the people of God were trapped in slavery and degradation, yet God provided deliverance and a new life in the Promised Land. God’s people in Judah were allowed to be taken away into slavery by the Babylonians because of their sins; yet in their bondage, God restored them and allowed them to return to their homeland. When the world was lost under the heel of the pagan Roman tyranny, and all humanity labored beneath the weight of sin that no one could remedy, Jesus stepped into our world. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life!” (John 3:16) Dear brothers and sisters, this is perhaps the greatest opportunity within our lifetime to share the saving grace of God. I have never seen individuals more receptive to the Gospel than now! The church, God’s people, may be relegated to individual homes in many places, but that may be a tremendous reawakening for us all. Though we have beautiful and wonderful places of worship, we are now forced to put our boots on the ground among the people, communicating with others in new and amazing ways, connecting with the pre-saved as never before. Christ-followers have been called by God to be ministers of grace to a desperate and hurting world whose ears are open to something beyond this brokenness. Be part of the redemption and hope! Share your faith in whatever means you have available! Know that God will save His people through this awful time, just as He has always saved those who love and obey Him. ~ Tad Stinson
Connect NOW is a temporary project of the Connection Magazine staff. We will be writing and soliciting weekly articles for at least May and June, to encourage, inform, and inspire people as we walk through this unique time together. The Evangelical Methodist Church is a global family of Christ followers committed to sharing the good news of God’s love with people.
