Today - something different.
We've looked at the struggles and the battles - the anxiety and fear. But in all of this - regardless of how heavy it gets we also need to hold on to the hope we have in Him.
Bottom line? We have the assurance of our home with Him. That's the big thing - and we can not allow our present trial and tribulations to take that hope from our hearts.
Jesus' teachings were pretty tough when you really read them - as are the teachings in the writings of the Apostles. Our redemption is the main and plain thing. That we have to keep our grip on. All we experience here is, I think, to make us long to be with Him, for His Kingdom to come, for His will to be done in all the creation.
I know - when you're broke or sick or undergoing any other trial it is hard to keep your eyes on heaven. It is very hard and I would not minimize your distress in any way.
But dearest one - we all have to fight that fight in one way or another. I am learning, especially from the Puritan writers, that rich or poor, well or infirm we all struggle to keep a grasp on our hope. It is good to know that His grasp on us is unrelenting.
As I discover the needs of others I am embarrassed by my focus on my circumstances. No, it's not a matter of, "others are worse off so quit whining." Rather I am beginning to feel a part of their struggles, their pain, their fear and anxiety. I am beginning to see more clearly the truth of His Word and the battle we are in. I am finding that I turn more to Him the more I see the needs of others.
We are not alone in our distress. We have others who struggle with us and for us. We are in the company of saints who have been called to demonstrate that He is worthy to be trusted. We can only do that when we trust Him - and sometimes He has to bring into our lives those conditions that take away everything we have trusted that is not Him.
But whether we are in distress or plenty our need to hope in Him - in our redemption - is never diminished. Job stated that even if God saw fit to kill him, he, Job, would trust/hope in Him. Great words but they bring us to the bare facts of the faith. We have been saved for Him and by Him to be His forever. We sometimes need to be brought to
the place where we are confronted by that truth to see whether it is enough for us or not.
Jesus told us to not fear those who can kill the body - I would expand it to include the "its" as well. He told us to fear that which can condemn our souls. Well, in Him we do not have to fear the condemnation of our souls and so, though it is a battle, we need fear nothing and no-one.
I know - bold words - but they are not spoken easily for their truth and power leave me with only Him - as though there was ever more anyway.
Father, I pray that we will be comforted by the hope we have in You. I pray that we will dare to look at the bottom-line of our hope and be willing to accept it. Father we need to learn to be content with our redemption and not just our worldly conditions. Father we need to be content with Your grace whatever we are living through.
Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters who are in need and I call out to You to give us all the knowledge that the impact of any need is relative to the strength and maturity of the individual believer. Knowing that, make us either seek the strong and mature believer for guidance and comfort or make us seek the weak and struggling believer to give guidance and comfort.
Father bring us to that one-ness Jesus prayed for - that one-ness He died for. Let us understand that if one part of the Body is injured and the rest of the Body ignores it or is unable to discern it - there is something very very wrong.
Father, give us big hope, big hearts and even bigger prayers so that we struggle alongside our faith family either in their presence or in prayer.
Help us Father, to know the joy of Your salvation even in the distress of being here waiting for You.
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