2006-06-01 - Today's Suffering

Rom 8:18-20 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. ¹⁹ For all creation is waiting patiently and hopefully for that future day when God will resurrect his children. ²⁰ For on that day thorns and thistles, sin, death, and decay — the things that overcame the world against its will at God's command — will all disappear, and the world around us will share in the glorious freedom from sin which God's children enjoy. (TLB)

Today was difficult for me. I'm sure many of you had the same experience.

There were the ever present opponents, the world, the flesh and the enemy. There were difficult people, unexpected interruptions and problems and other distractions and frustrations sprinkled throughout the day. If we make those things the center of our attention, they become soaring mountains with high, snow-choked passes that defeat our forward progress. Even the progress we do make appears to be dwarfed by the massive obstacles the enemy of our souls places in our paths.

Stop and refocus. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Who's are we? And what place have we been given? And what is out destination?

We are co-heirs with Jesus Christ. We are redeemed from the power of sin by his shed blood and freed from the power of death by his resurrection. We are a wild olive branch that has been grafted into the tree of Israel. We are humble, thankful servants of the Kingdom. We are Ambassadors with a message for a lost and dying world. We are more than conquerors. We are forgiven - what an amazing statement. We are loved more than we can understand.

Christ has given us to become the sons and the daughters of the Most High God. And, as His beloved children, we have the right to call Him, "Abba". That means "Papa" - a very personal, very intimate term. We have the right to enter the throne room of Heaven with our cares and troubles, none ever too big or too small, and give them to God. Our position is not secured by our behavior, other than our repentance, but by the promises of God. We are brothers and sisters in a new, eternal family.

This world is not our home. We have a place prepared for us in Heaven that Jesus told us He is preparing. Jesus, Who knows us better than we know ourselves, is creating a New Jerusalem that almost defies words. Our destination is not the grave. It will not hold us. The power of death was crushed when Jesus Christ rose on the third day. And, if we are God's children by adoption through His freely offered gift of eternal life, Jesus has promised to meet us when we arrive in eternity.

Stop and refocus.

Lord, thank You for Your help in getting through today. Thank You for this reminder of the fact that this world is a faint shadow of the reality that waits for us, that You are preparing for us. Help our faith to grow simple and deep, and to trust in You when the darkness and hard days come. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Mike

jmhoskins@gmail.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org