Did God ever say that we would not experience trouble, heartache, disappointment, tragedy, death, loss of hopes and dreams, devastation? Who can be exempt from such things? As of today my sister is in the ICU at the hospital, this is the second time in two years that she has experienced a brain aneurysm. When it happened the first time, the doctors were able to see that she had a genetic malformation in a clump of blood vessels in her brain. So, we know "why" she had the aneurysm, it's hard though that it has happened a second time. Life is not fair, but who ever said it would be?
When trouble or disappointment or sorrow or loss comes upon us, we often, or at least I do want to find out the "why" of it all. We want to blame someone, point a finger at ourselves or just be angry. There is a story in the bible about a man who was born blind. Some of his disciples wanted to point a finger at someone. They asked Jesus who it was that sinned, the man born blind or his parents. Jesus told his disciples neither this man or his parents sinned, that is not why he is blind. He is blind so that God's glory might be manifested in him.
We do live in a fallen world, even those of us who follow Jesus, we still live in a fallen world. Following Jesus does not make the world heaven all of the sudden. I believe we will still go through the same drama everyone else goes through. We will still experience death, people will still break in our houses, some of us will still get cancer, we will lose our houses, we will experience pain and disappointment just like everyone else in the world. Even in the Bible we are reminded to cast our cares on God, why? because we will have things that overwhelm us. We are encouraged not to worry, why? because there will be things to worry about. We are encouraged to trust in God with all of our hearts and lean not on our own understanding, why? because some of the things we experience will take us for a ride, if we have to rely only on ourselves. Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will eat or drink or wear, why? because he knows there will be times when we are without.
My husband really likes this Christian rap group called " Cross Movement". They have a song that I like and the chorus basically says " Your born, you suffer, you die, but there's a loophole" The loophole is that we do have to navigate this world in all it's beauty and brutality, but this isn't all there is. There is more, it's eternity with Jesus. In heaven there are no tears, no worry, no death, no suffering, no bills, no lack of anything.
I think Jesus gives us that picture of heaven so we can have assurance that it is different from the world. It gives us hope and something to look forward to. Heaven is heaven, earth is not, and it's not supposed to be.
We have promises given us in the Bible and they are not promises that we will never get sick, or have heartache, or die, or struggle. They are promises that we will struggle, but God will struggle with us. We will have heartache, but God will comfort us. We will experience death, but it's not the end. We will have times when we feel we can't make it and God will hold us up.
This life is not all lollipops and rainbows. There are plenty of things to celebrate in this world that God has created, but there are also plenty of reasons to cry and despair. God is with us. He is with my sister. He sees her now in the ICU. He knows what she needs. He knows we need comfort and we want her to be okay. We trust that God has her.
My trust in God is one that says. " God you are mighty and holy and able to do all things, but you are not a genie and you do not do my bidding or fulfill my every wish." However, you are faithful and loving and you do not treat me as my sins deserve, you are gracious and compassionate. You know things I can't even begin to imagine and you see what I need even if I can't see it. So I trust you God, to lead my life, even when it doesn't make sense. I trust you God to comfort me, when I feel betrayed and lost in this world."
You are a God of your Word and you promise to always be with me, even when I feel lost in the chaos of this place.
When trouble or disappointment or sorrow or loss comes upon us, we often, or at least I do want to find out the "why" of it all. We want to blame someone, point a finger at ourselves or just be angry. There is a story in the bible about a man who was born blind. Some of his disciples wanted to point a finger at someone. They asked Jesus who it was that sinned, the man born blind or his parents. Jesus told his disciples neither this man or his parents sinned, that is not why he is blind. He is blind so that God's glory might be manifested in him.
We do live in a fallen world, even those of us who follow Jesus, we still live in a fallen world. Following Jesus does not make the world heaven all of the sudden. I believe we will still go through the same drama everyone else goes through. We will still experience death, people will still break in our houses, some of us will still get cancer, we will lose our houses, we will experience pain and disappointment just like everyone else in the world. Even in the Bible we are reminded to cast our cares on God, why? because we will have things that overwhelm us. We are encouraged not to worry, why? because there will be things to worry about. We are encouraged to trust in God with all of our hearts and lean not on our own understanding, why? because some of the things we experience will take us for a ride, if we have to rely only on ourselves. Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will eat or drink or wear, why? because he knows there will be times when we are without.
My husband really likes this Christian rap group called " Cross Movement". They have a song that I like and the chorus basically says " Your born, you suffer, you die, but there's a loophole" The loophole is that we do have to navigate this world in all it's beauty and brutality, but this isn't all there is. There is more, it's eternity with Jesus. In heaven there are no tears, no worry, no death, no suffering, no bills, no lack of anything.
I think Jesus gives us that picture of heaven so we can have assurance that it is different from the world. It gives us hope and something to look forward to. Heaven is heaven, earth is not, and it's not supposed to be.
We have promises given us in the Bible and they are not promises that we will never get sick, or have heartache, or die, or struggle. They are promises that we will struggle, but God will struggle with us. We will have heartache, but God will comfort us. We will experience death, but it's not the end. We will have times when we feel we can't make it and God will hold us up.
This life is not all lollipops and rainbows. There are plenty of things to celebrate in this world that God has created, but there are also plenty of reasons to cry and despair. God is with us. He is with my sister. He sees her now in the ICU. He knows what she needs. He knows we need comfort and we want her to be okay. We trust that God has her.
My trust in God is one that says. " God you are mighty and holy and able to do all things, but you are not a genie and you do not do my bidding or fulfill my every wish." However, you are faithful and loving and you do not treat me as my sins deserve, you are gracious and compassionate. You know things I can't even begin to imagine and you see what I need even if I can't see it. So I trust you God, to lead my life, even when it doesn't make sense. I trust you God to comfort me, when I feel betrayed and lost in this world."
You are a God of your Word and you promise to always be with me, even when I feel lost in the chaos of this place.
1 comment:
Thank you Charissa. Well said indeed.
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