Just before World War II, Iceland was going through a harsh economic
time known as "the Depression". Many were unemployed and in despair.
As Iceland is a nation consisting largely of Christians, many were
praying to God for relief, but "not my will, but Yours will be done."
Then, to make things worse, World War II broke out. As Iceland had
no army, they would be prone for an easy invasion by the Germans. The
outlook became dimmer and dimmer.
On May 10, 1940, six months
after World War II was declared, British warships headed for Reykjavik,
the capital of Iceland, and Iceland fell under British occupation.
It looks like things got even worse, doesn't it? The only problem
is, many Icelanders refer to this time period as the "Blessed War". You
see, although their country was occupied and many soldiers lost their
lives at sea, the presence of the British soldiers, and eventually the
American military, revived the Icelandic economy, bringing considerable
relief to the impoverished country.
But that's not all. Although
Iceland had been ruled by the Danish for several centuries, World War II
also brought an ironic end to this. With Denmark occupied by the Germans
from April 9, 1940 onward, all communication between Iceland and her
mother country ceased. This gave Icelanders the opportunity to hold a
referendum, and on June 17, 1944 they became an independent republic.
We never know what the future holds for us, but one thing we do know
for sure is that our future, as believers in the Almighty God, is
guaranteed. We have nothing to fear. If we are going through troubled
times and we find ourselves in total despair, we need to realize that
this is our opportunity to either trust in God or not.
When
broken, we can either flourish or perish. It all depends on Who we put
our trust in! Letting God lead the way is always our best option, for
only then can we truly shine.
Jesus, too, faced troubled times,
worse than any that we will ever face. At Gethsemane He voiced "My soul
is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." (Matt 26:38 NIV)
What did He do in such times? Did He complain? Did he curse the
wicked Pharisees? No way! He went to His Father in Heaven in prayer. And
although Jesus wished that His circumstances would go away (See Matt
26:39), He put His complete trust in God, His Father: "My Father, if it
is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may
your will be done." (Matt 26:42 NIV)
Trouble may be looming in
the horizon, but God is way above any of these circumstances. His glory
will be revealed. It's our choice to be part of it or not.
Who
would have thought that being occupied by foreign forces would lead to
such huge blessings?
Rob Chaffart
The Blessed War. Broken for Revival, Conclusion
Today's Bible Verse:
"My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away
unless I drink it, may your will be done." (Matt 26:42)
The Blessed War. Broken for Revival, Conclusion
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