Living In A Murphy's Law World Series

Introduction:

Murphy’s law suggests that anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

Some corollaries have been attached – they are true given the right circumstances:

q At the most inopportune time

q Because it is your fault

q And Everyone will see it

Every perceived solution only breeds more complex problems

Mark Twain said it this way, “No good deed goes unpunished”

There is some truth to it isn’t there? We’ve all seen the affects of Murphy’s Law – it’s funny because it bears some truth –

Men, Murphy’s Law suggests that “As the value of the tool increases so does the chance that it will be lost, broken, or stolen before the project is completed” and “Any unbreakable item will be dropped on the only surface hard enough to break it and cause maximum damage to the breakable objects around it.”

Women, Murphy’s Law suggests that “The smudge on the window is always on the other side of the glass… and it is ALWAYS the highest window.” It also suggests that “Anything dropped in the bathroom will automatically land in the toilet or go down the sink. It will be small enough to be lost forever or large enough to completely plug the drain

Students, Murphy’s Law in action means that “The more valuable the document the greater the chance that your computer will crash before you complete it.”

Senior Citizens Murphy’s Law says that “Placing any item in a ‘safe’ place guarantees it will not be found until long after it is needed.”

Do you ever feel like Mr. Murphy?

He was certainly not an optimist. But let’s face it. We live in a glass half empty kind of world.

From flooding, to an economy that is bad, to struggles with health, or family or financial trouble, sometimes life can seem unbearable; sometimes the troubles of life can be overwhelming

How do we deal with the overwhelming problems of life?

Paul writes to the Christians in Rome. They are facing persecution for their faith. And Paul tells them….

Romans 8:18-20 (NIV)

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Illustration:

I've spent time with people who have terrible diseases like cancer. The suffering people with terrible diseases can go through can beyond imagination. So when someone chooses to suffer for Jesus, I marvel. In other countries, the brutal torture that followers of Jesus endure can't even be described. Listen to what Paul writes. I consider it not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed one day. I liken it this way. Suffering, even great suffering, is like a thimble full of water. For some that thimble may even be full. But the glory God will reveal in us is like the oceans. There is no comparison. It's not even worth it.

Paul says all of creation eagerly waits for that day when the glory will be revealed in us.

19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Paul reminds the Christians in Rome that the world is groaning as if in the midst of childbirth. I’ve never born a child, but I was there when my wife did. Our oldest was born naturally, without an epidural. My wife described it as overwhelming – it was all she could do to concentrate on simply breathing.

In the same way Paul says that the world is overwhelmed with struggles. It is suffering from the corruption of sin. It wasn't responsible for the corruption, it is the result of mankind's fall. Now creation is groaning as in the pains of childbirth.

And friends, Christians are not immune. Read the text. We ourselves, who have the first fruits ALSO groan. I suggest that those who preach a health and wealth and happiness gospel do a huge disservice when they suggest it is always a lack of faith that brings about suffering. Sometimes it is simply the effects of sin.

We see it don’t we? In the world; in our own lives? What the world offers in it’s present state gives us very little permanent hope. All we can see is Murphy’s Law.