Tag: suffering

Revelation 21:5-27

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            Things will not always be this way.  Life will not always consist of heartache, suffering, and tears.  The world, as we now know it, will eventually pass away with its constant barrage of war, famine, hunger, sickness, misunderstanding, conflict, and pain.  There is a coming a day when Jesus will return and make everything new.  The vision of this next-to-last chapter of the Bible portrays a Lord who is in charge, and whose authority will, in the end, be seen for what it is.  Everything wrong will be made right; all that is crooked shall be made straight; and, the endless struggle to do what is right and just will prevail once and for all.
 
            Whenever we get caught in seemingly endless cycles of addiction, insecurity, and fear; whenever we find ourselves having to endure yet another day of undeserved backtalk; and, whenever we see that perseverance has become our abiding companion; it is in such times, like the original recipients of John’s vision of the final apocalypse, that we are to be strengthened and encouraged with the truth that Jesus is Lord.  Christ reigns as Supreme, and his rule will be shown and revealed to all nations.  In our Lord’s benevolent kingdom, everyone who is thirsty for justice will receive from a life-giving fountain; and, all who hunger for righteousness will be filled and satisfied.
 
            But until that time comes, we are to hold onto the hope that Jesus shall return to judge the living and the dead.  For the righteous this is truly good news, but for the wicked, this is anything but.  Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will be in the celestial city.  So, let’s put on words and deeds that are appropriate for the light of Christ our King, and eschew the works of darkness, utilizing all the tools of faith, hope, and love given to us by our Sovereign Lord.
 

 

            Lord Jesus, you are making everything new.  You are the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.  All things hinge on your gracious rule in this world.  Help me to so embrace your kingdom ethics that every word and each deed is done consistent with your divine justice and mercy through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

1 Peter 1:3-9

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            Christians ought to expect suffering.  Yes, you heard that one right.  In our litigious age of claiming rights and avoiding pain at all cost, the biblical teaching can seem like some antiquated throw-back to an age we can’t relate to very well.  But Peter’s letter to the churches was all about facing and dealing with suffering.  Unfair treatment was happening, and was going to happen.  Peter would think it weird if believers were not undergoing suffering of some type.
 
            But it is not random meaningless suffering.  It is a testing of faith.  “Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire.  And these trials will prove that your faith is worth more than gold.”  Because faith is much like a muscle, it needs to be flexed, used, and exercised so that it develops and grows strong.  An absence of adversity will only lead to faith-muscle atrophy.  So, how do we endure such adverse situations of suffering?
 
            Christians deal in the currency of hope.  God has “given us new life and a hope that lives on.  God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear.”  The path forward through suffering is to know that we are being trained and developed for eternal life with Jesus.  We learn to put our hope in things which are permanent, instead of putting too much investment and stock into the temporary.  Our strengthened faith will not decay, will never be ruined, and shall not disappear.  It only makes solid spiritual sense to develop a robust life of faith in this life, since eternity awaits us.
 

 

            I praise you God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  You are so good by raising Jesus from death and giving us a permanent inheritance which can never perish, spoil, or fade.  I entrust myself to you and seek spiritual growth by means of the trials you bring into my life.  May they be used for your glory.  Amen.

James 5:7-12

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            In 1952, a woman named Florence Chadwick attempted to become the first female to swim the twenty-one miles from Catalina Island to the California coast.  Less than a half-mile from her destination she gave up.  It wasn’t because of fatigue, but because of the thick fog.  Florence simply could not see how close she was to her goal.  Two months later she did it, also in the fog, but had learned her lesson and persevered even though she couldn’t see the coast in front of her.
 
            Everyone who has faced adversity knows how hard it is to keep going without seeing the goal.  Yet, it is important to be patient and to persevere knowing that the Lord’s coming is near.  Like the farmer, we must expectantly wait till the harvest.  There is nothing we can do to speed up the process and go straight from planting to harvest.  It takes time.  It takes patience.  Grumbling and complaining about how long it is taking will not make it go any faster.
 
            For the Christian, there must be suffering before glory.  The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.  We live in a time when we will either sink or swim – there is no in-between.  God’s celestial shore is within sight; don’t miss it by getting discouraged by all the fog.  Hang in there, my friend.
 

 

            Patient God, you endure through all of my ignorance and impatience and just keep growing me by your grace.  Thank you for working me as a farmer works the soil.  May there be a great harvest of righteousness in my life as I allow your faithful work to be done in me.  Amen.

1 Peter 4:12-19

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year CLeave a comment
            I am going to make one of the simplest observations about God’s people in the Bible:  they suffered.  Whether it was Abel being killed, Noah persevering through ridicule, Abraham facing an uncertain future, Jeremiah weeping over Jerusalem and thrown into jail, or Paul enduring persecution, everyone who wants to live a godly life will face suffering.  In fact, all of the New Testament epistles have something to do with this issue of suffering.
 
            Peter wanted to make it clear that every Christian should neither be surprised nor shocked when they suffer.  If our Lord suffered, we, too, will suffer.  Rather than this being a huge Debbie Downer sort of thing, Peter interprets a Christian’s suffering as a privilege, even a blessing.  It is a mark of belonging – a sign that God’s Spirit is within us.  If we do stupid things, we face the consequences.  But when we do good things for God, the consequence is a kind of suffering that puts us in solidarity with Christ.  “Be glad for the chance to suffer as Christ suffered.  It will prepare you for even greater happiness when he makes his glorious return.”
 
            Sometimes it can be rough.  It’s one thing to suffer.  It’s another to keep suffering day in and day out.  So, what to do?  “If you suffer for obeying God, you must have complete faith in your faithful Creator and keep on doing right.”  Bad attitudes, giving up, or revenge are not options on the table for the Christian.  Instead, we persevere in the doing of good.  It may not be easy, but God sees and he will vindicate our work.
 

 

            Dear Jesus, it is a small thing for me to suffer in light of your great suffering on my behalf through the cross.  Empower me to do right every day so that praise will always be on my lips for you.  Amen.