The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Luke 21:12,
"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you."
This is a part of the answer Jesus gave his followers when they asked him about the destruction of Jerusalem and what signs to look for just prior to his second coming back to Earth. One of the signs is a persecution of Jesus' followers. Why would God allow this? Doesn't he love his people? Since they have embraced God in trust, why would they be given over to those who would harm them?
Jesus answers this as he continues, "This will result in your being witnesses to them.", verse 13. God has a purpose for bringing difficulties into our lives and will do so. Contrary to much of what is being taught today in our churches, God's people will endure difficulties and hardships. Often it is heard that if we but place our faith in Jesus, our families, our marriages, our health our finances will all be blessed by troubles being taken away because God loves his own. While it is true that God loves his own, it is not his intention to remove us from difficulties in life. As Jesus tells us here, God will bring difficulties into our lives for his own purposes, his own agenda, the things he wants to accomplish.
All we need do is ask Job about it. He endured horrific difficulties as God used him to make a point with Satan. Paul learned of this when he said, "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead." 2 Corinthians 1:2. Here God took Paul and his companions through hardships to teach them to rely on him. God brought difficulty into Paul's life to bring about his own purposes for Paul.
In another place Paul speaks about the difficulties God brings into our lives to mold and shape us into the image of his Son, that is, to bring spiritual maturity to our lives. In Romans 5:3-4, "we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Also, Romans 8:35-36, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'" Why is it we will face death all day long for Christ's sake? Paul tells us, "Those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." Romans 8:29. God uses difficulties in our lives to shape us, to mold us into the image of beauty he has for us.
God has grander plans for us than to simply provide us a bed of ease. He purposefully brings difficulties into our lives to grow us and to use us as he sees fit. While I can say that a bed of ease looks awfully attractive, I have to admit that becoming a part of God's agenda, being used by him for his purposes sounds much more fulfilling, much more exciting!
How about you?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you."
This is a part of the answer Jesus gave his followers when they asked him about the destruction of Jerusalem and what signs to look for just prior to his second coming back to Earth. One of the signs is a persecution of Jesus' followers. Why would God allow this? Doesn't he love his people? Since they have embraced God in trust, why would they be given over to those who would harm them?
Jesus answers this as he continues, "This will result in your being witnesses to them.", verse 13. God has a purpose for bringing difficulties into our lives and will do so. Contrary to much of what is being taught today in our churches, God's people will endure difficulties and hardships. Often it is heard that if we but place our faith in Jesus, our families, our marriages, our health our finances will all be blessed by troubles being taken away because God loves his own. While it is true that God loves his own, it is not his intention to remove us from difficulties in life. As Jesus tells us here, God will bring difficulties into our lives for his own purposes, his own agenda, the things he wants to accomplish.
All we need do is ask Job about it. He endured horrific difficulties as God used him to make a point with Satan. Paul learned of this when he said, "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead." 2 Corinthians 1:2. Here God took Paul and his companions through hardships to teach them to rely on him. God brought difficulty into Paul's life to bring about his own purposes for Paul.
In another place Paul speaks about the difficulties God brings into our lives to mold and shape us into the image of his Son, that is, to bring spiritual maturity to our lives. In Romans 5:3-4, "we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Also, Romans 8:35-36, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'" Why is it we will face death all day long for Christ's sake? Paul tells us, "Those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." Romans 8:29. God uses difficulties in our lives to shape us, to mold us into the image of beauty he has for us.
God has grander plans for us than to simply provide us a bed of ease. He purposefully brings difficulties into our lives to grow us and to use us as he sees fit. While I can say that a bed of ease looks awfully attractive, I have to admit that becoming a part of God's agenda, being used by him for his purposes sounds much more fulfilling, much more exciting!
How about you?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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