The words from an old hymn go like this:
“This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.”
Many of forget this truth. Some Christian leaders bemoan the fact that the world is bad and getting worse–that evil men and impostors are going from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13). They also say that the Lord allows sin, suffering, and evil to remind us that this world is not our home. Heaven is our real home. We should not strive to attain status and success or collect material possessions as if there was nothing better than this world.
While I agree with this last statement, I also remember how God created Adam and Eve and put them on the earth to tend it and have dominion over it (Genesis 1:27-28). Humankind was meant to live forever on the perfect earth God had made. They were to be his representatives to his wondrous creation of infinite variety and splendor and walk and talk with him in unbroken fellowship. But Adam and Eve messed up big time. They disobeyed God and instead of an eternal paradise, they opened the door to the mess we see today.
So when we wonder how a loving God could “allow” injustice and suffering, we forget that we are the ones who make the choices that, directly or indirectly, lead to all that suffering.
God, in fact, came up with the ultimate solution, a plan to redeem not only the souls of men but all of creation (Romans 8:19-23). That plan included sending Jesus to earth to show us how to live.That plan was sealed by the substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross (Isaiah 53: 4-6). When we yield to him, turn from our sin and let him take over, we are transformed and given eternal life (John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:17).
We then have the power of Christ within us. We can trample spiritual snakes and lions (Psalm 91:13,1 Peter 5:8). We can walk forward, knowing that we are more than conquerors and that our God of peace will ultimately crush our enemy under our feet (Romans 8:37,16:20).
Jesus indeed said that evil would appear to prevail. But we can take courage because he overcame the world for us (John 16:33). God also promised us a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1-4, Isaiah 11:1-10).
But we don’t have “batten down the hatches” and wait until God beams us up. Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-10). Evidently, the savior of the world wants to bring paradise to our present reality–at least as much as we allow it.
Could God be giving the human race a second chance at bringing heaven to earth? Is he asking us to be representatives of his redemption, taking back ground from the hordes of hell and making the way for his love, order, beauty, and peace? The words of familiar hymns echo the knowledge that God’s power overwhelms the darkness and bring joy and victory.
A verse from a Christmas hymn says:
“And in despair I bowed my head:
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said,
‘For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.’
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
‘God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.’”
When we focus on the darkness, we fail to look through the eyes of faith and gratitude
and we find ourselves despairing. Instead, we can make a habit of looking at the Light 
that overcomes that darkness (John 1:5). We can focus on the goodness and kindness all around us, instigate it ourselves as much and as often as we can, and thank God for it all.
Evil seeks to win over good but evil is grossly deluded. It cannot wipe away the good anymore than it can wipe away God. Each of us, with Christ in our hearts and yielded to his will for our lives, are a little bit of heaven on earth. As we express his goodness within us to the world around us, we know that heaven can advance against the darkness. Hope is sure and despair is not an option. We can make this our heavenly father’s world.
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