When one reads John 12: 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out one must ask who is Jesus referring to as the ‘prince of this world’. A deeper study will uncover that this prince is Satan. And if he is the prince of this world then it stands to reason that he has some authority in what happens in the world, specifically, the bad things that happen. No matter which part of the world one lives devastation, poverty, broken families/relationships and natural disasters can be seen and sometimes personally felt. Many question whether the world will get better but Matt 24:3-14 tells us that it will not. It will only get worse.
Ruth Caye Jones was having a similar feeling in 1943 when WWII was at its zenith. The fear and uncertainty of the unknown as well as experiencing personal sorrows and tragedies that war brings was felt by many. Opening her Bible to 2 Timothy 3:1 which says This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come and pondering the words of Hebrews 6:19 which state Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Ruth, under the inspiration of Holy Spirit penned the lyrics and composed the music for the hymn ‘In Times Like These’:
In times like these we need a Savior;
In times like these we need an anchor.
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
This Rock is Jesus, yes, He’s the One.
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Life sometimes causes us to think that we are in a losing battle in life. Our journey may start with flowers blooming on either side as we walk on an evenly paved trail but unexpectedly we fall into a sinkhole that keeps us momentarily paralyzed, and then the gathering storm clouds bring continual darkness and a hard rain of troubles. Such occurrences can be painful and sometimes heartbreaking, but if our hope, our belief, is anchored on the Solid Rock, then we can be very sure that we will not be ‘lost at sea’.
