There is a section in the newspaper that I usually avoid. In the middle of the Metro section are two pages filled with assaults, murders and sex crimes. All are horrible but somehow the stories have not risen to a level of significance that puts the story on the front page. I am grateful for that, because if these stories were unavoidable, I would stop reading the newspaper.

How grateful I am that the book of Judges has come to an end. More stories like the one in today’s reading and I might skip the Old Testament readings for a while. There was a point a few weeks ago, when I felt that way about the long lists of laws. Then it was the battles where whole cities were destroyed and the people killed. And in the book of Judges, it has been an increasing moral depravity. Enough! The author of Judges makes this final analysis: In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. The problem: everyone did as they saw fit. The solution: a king. I’ve read enough to agree with the assessment of the problem. I beg to differ on the solution. A king might help for a while, but it won’t be the solution. What they/we really need is a Savior.

Paul describes a treasure that we can carry within ourselves that will make all the difference. The treasure is the gospel. The gospel is “Jesus is risen from the dead”. With all the trouble in this world and in your life, it may feel like you are being crushed. What if you could carry a treasure within you so that no matter what you faced you would not lose heart? Don’t fix your eyes on what is seen but on what is unseen.

Today is Wednesday, but Sunday is coming. Stay focused on Sunday. Sunday is Easter. It is the resurrection and life.