Unbelievers find it hard to understand the merits of choosing to
serve a GOD who does not protect His children from suffering, but GOD’s WORD
tells us that following CHRIST does not absolve us from suffering. Since
Christ has suffered in His body, we must be ready to suffer also. Suffering
puts an end to sin. 1 Peter 4:1
We know, also, that until CHRIST’s promised return to
establish the new heavens and new earth, the New Jerusalem of no more tears and
no more pain, of no mourning and no death, suffering will remain a part of all
our lives. Revelation 21:1-4.
Christian suffering is not without purpose because we do not understand it.
I have been watching a painful affliction in the life of a very
special young man unfold on social media. A former Muslim, this young man renounced his
faith to follow CHRIST and became a Pastor and faithful teacher of the Word of
GOD. This man of faith, husband and father to a young child, some months ago was
diagnosed with stage four cancer with a four percent survival rate and, to date,
treatments are not working.
Hundreds have been praying for his healing. I myself am
praying bold prayers and reminding GOD that His NAME and His RENOWN is very
much at stake, as the unbelieving world is watching. I ask myself what the impact
on this Pastor’s ministry efforts to unconverted Muslims would be if GOD does
not give him a miraculous recovery. I must constantly remind myself that the
GOD we know as Father is the Sovereign GOD Almighty and His purpose and plan in all this must be greater than our finite minds can know.
In circumstances such as these, it is not enough just to know
GOD, we must also believe Him.
- For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! Isaiah 64:4
- “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God – there never has been, and there never will be. “From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.” Isaiah 43:10-13
Trusting a GOD we cannot see takes faith! But we must choose
to believe that if He has been faithful in the past, He will be again. We have stories
of our own to tell of GOD’s faithfulness in affliction or know of someone else’s.
We must be strong in faith and continue to believe beyond what we see!
The Book of Daniel (Chapter 3) tells the story of three young Jewish boys who, in the face of great
adversity, chose to believe GOD. Given a choice to be burnt alive over worshiping
the king’s idol, they chose to obey, whatever the outcome: “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is
able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make
it clear to you, Your Majesty that we will never serve your gods or worship the
gold statue you have set up.” Daniel 3:17-18
GOD allowed these Jewish boys to be thrown into the fire then
miraculously rescued them unharmed by the fire – the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed,
and their clothing was not scorched. They
didn’t even smell of smoke! Daniel 3:27.
What followed though demonstrates GOD’s wisdom in this story
–Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the
God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his
servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to
die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore,
I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language,
speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be
torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble.
There is no other god who can rescue like this!” Daniel 3:28-29
An absolute unwavering belief in GOD became the means by
which a pagan king and an entire nation of idol worshipers received salvation!
In his paper, the Necessity
of Afflictions John Ross Macduff
(1818-1895) said this – We may not be
able to understand it now, but one day we shall come to find that affliction is
one of God’s most blessed ministers sent forth to “minister to those who are
heirs of salvation.”
We sometimes have
roadblocks that hinder total belief and faith, but if we pray, ask and seek GOD
about them He is faithful to reveal them and heal us of them, for His glory
–
- …he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. Isaiah 61:3
- “When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God…” Isaiah 43:2-3
We may not know how or when but we must believe that out of
the ashes of our afflictions, we will rise!
Prayer and Thanksgiving: Our Father in the heavens, we give honor and
glory to your NAME. Father, YOU are GOD, great and MIGHTY, who feels our
afflictions and our pain. No one
is abandoned by the YOU forever and though you allow us to suffer grief, YOU also
show compassion because of the
greatness of YOUR unfailing love; thank you that YOU are not a GOD who enjoys
hurting your children or causing us sorrow. Help us to remember that this light momentary affliction is preparing
for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison as
we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For
the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are
eternal, and we get to spend that eternity with YOU in a new heaven and a
new earth, completely healed and at peace, without tears and sorrow and pain
and there we will forever give all honor, dominion and power to YOU. We pray and ask all things in
the matchless Name of JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen!
Always by God’s Word and prayer,
Cecile
No comments:
Post a Comment