Choosing between Bad and Worse

With a national election coming up in less than 3 weeks, many people are feeling forced to choose between two evils; or, to use another expression, choosing between bad and worse. But politics aside, are current events increasing our feelings of cosmic futility?

What do I mean? Well, the present conflict in Syria is a good example of “bad and worse.” If Syria’s dictator Assad is defeated, he will likely be replaced by Sunni extremists sympathetic to al Qaeda. Next door in Egypt, a despot (supported by the U.S.) was driven out last year and replaced by the Muslim Brotherhood—an Islamic group who wants to annihilate Israel.

Since the whole world is under the influence of Satan—"the god of this world"—what else would you expect. Was there ever a better time to be citizens of another world, another reality, where only good, better, and best prevail (Romans 12:2). And where even the ‘bad’ choices of those who love Him cannot foil His plan to turn everything around for their good (Rom 8:28). If you make the LORD your refuge, no evil will conquer you... (Ps 91:10)—no matter who wins the election next month. 

"You must no longer live as the 'earthlings' do, in futility,

for they are hopelessly confused" (Eph 4:17, NIV, NLT, GB).

The Power of Two

As I read a book on prayer last  week, I was struck by the phrase “the power of two-pray.”  The idea of "two-pray" comes from Jesus words: Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst, [and] this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him (Mat 18:20; 1 John 5:14-15).

After God created Adam, He said “It is not good for man to be alone.” When Jesus sent out his disciples he sent them two by two. It was not merely a matter of being lonely if they had gone out singly, "Lone Ranger" ministry was not God’s design.  He intends  that one partner complement (complete) the other. The principle: two together do more than two apart.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor, for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion, but woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. (Ecclesiastes 4:10-12).