Rain Delay
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:5 (NIV)
As I stared out the airplane window at the rain, I tried not to feel irritated that my trip was once again delayed. It had been a long overseas trip, and this was just one more delay in a series of delays. I considered reading the airline magazine, but I had read the same one on the trip over two weeks earlier. So I zoned out for a few minutes, and as my mind wandered, I happened to notice a yellow square painted on the ground just beyond the edge of the airplane wing. A stenciled message warned, “No Standing.” That made me curious. Why was standing prohibited in that particular area?
A few minutes later the pilot fired up the engines, and I got my answer. The yellow box marked an area that was in close proximity to the engines. I observed the falling raindrops get violently sucked into the powerful engine. Now I understood the warning on the yellow box.
The powerful pull of the airplane’s engine reminded me of the powerful pull of the world’s system. We often underestimate its power. Materialism, selfishness, greed, lust, hatred—these are just a few things that strive to pull us in as we struggle to overcome the world.
In 1 John Chapter 5 we read about overcoming the world. What is the key? The power to overcome the world begins with our trust in Christ. It’s all about Jesus. The same power that raised him from the dead allowed Him to overcome the world. He’s the author and finisher of our faith. If we are to overcome the system of this world and all its trappings, we must be connected to Jesus Christ.
Are you depending on Him today? Are you connected to the Overcomer?
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)