Waiting Day 10 Once Upon God’s Kairos

October 15, 2021 by Sarah Young Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
1 Peter 1:13-25
1 John 3:1-3
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Isaiah 40

Waiting, Day 10

Almost a decade ago, I was introduced to the concept of KAIROS time.
Did you know ancient Greeks used two words, chronos and kairos to describe time?

Chronos time is linear and sequential, the timeline in which we live.

Kairos is a time when conditions are right for the accomplishment of a crucial action; the opportune and decisive moment. Throughout Scripture, kairos describes the time in which God exists and moves.

I was profoundly impacted by the reality that God is not limited by chronos time, yet He created a world functioning within it. From the very beginning, He established minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. (Genesis 1) But we are told in 2 Peter 3:8, “With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.” God sees the past, present, and future simultaneously. He has orchestrated how ALLLLL the millions of puzzle pieces of history will come together; He is weaving a beautiful tapestry, a breathtaking masterpiece.

WE, however, see the back of the tapestry with strings tangled and knotted. WE get confused and frustrated, not understanding what is happening or why. Meanwhile, God confidently weaves away, working in His KAIROS time, to bring about plans He established BEFORE the creation of the world. (Titus 1:3)

Today, we have the advantage of looking BACK through the Bible and see all the clues God was providing as people looked FORWARD to Jesus, who would ONE DAY deliver us ALL from sin and death.

One of the most beautiful pictures of this promised redemption was when God rescued His people from Egypt after 400 years of slavery! Leading up to their miraculous exit, God sent 9 plagues to convince Pharaoh to free the Israelites; in the midst of the chaos and confusion of the final plague, the death of the firstborn sons, God foreshadowed what JESUS would one day do as the FINAL Passover Lamb. You see, God had told His people to sacrifice their best lambs and put the blood on the top and sides of their doors (forming a CROSS). As the angel of death went throughout the land, God would PASS OVER those covered in lamb’s blood. The sacrificed lamb would die in their place, and they would be saved. (Exodus 11-13)

Fast forward hundreds of years to another Passover festival. That night, Jesus was arrested and beaten, and mocked. (Luke 22:1-23:25) Yet, He remained silent, like a lamb led to slaughter. Jesus, the SACRIFICIAL LAMB, was nailed to a cross, dying in OUR place and paying the price for OUR sins. (Luke 23:26-56) Jesus’ death, precisely on Passover, was no coincidence. God was fulfilling generations of prophecies and orchestrating the tiniest of details at just the right time, His kairos time.

Right before Jesus breathed His last on the cross, He cried, “It is finished!”. (John 19:30) At that moment in the temple, the centerplace of Jewish worship, the curtain separating delineating the inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies where God’s presence dwelled, split from TOP to bottom. (Luke 23:44-49) No longer was there a separation between God and people. Anyone could now enter God’s presence, because of JESUS.

For thousands of years, ONLY the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and ONLY on the Day of Atonement. On that day, Israel gathered together and the High Priest offered a sacrifice to pay for the sins of the entire nation. (Leviticus 16) On THIS Day of Atonement, Jesus became the FINAL sacrifice, paying for ALL sins for ALL time. (Hebrews 10:11-12)

Looking back through history all the way to the Old Testament Tabernacle (check out the Tabernacle Journey Theme!)God was giving us glimpses of His Son and the relationship we can now have with Him because of Jesus.

The tabernacle had ONE entrance, where people accessed an Outer Courtyard.
Jesus is THE DOOR, the ONLY way to God.
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)

In the Outer Courtyard was the bronze basin, where priests would wash before approaching God’s presence.
Jesus declared He is the Living Water (John 7:37-39); His blood cleanses us from sin. (1 John 1:7-9)

Within the tabernacle was a smaller tent divided into two sections, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Only priests could enter the Holy Place, which housed 3 items made of pure gold: a table, a lampstand, and incense altar.

On the table was the Bread of Presence.
During His ministry, Jesus revealed He was the Bread of Life. (John 6:35)
During the Passover meal with His disciples on the night of His arrest, Jesus broke bread and announced, “This is My body, which is given for you.” (Luke 22:19)

The lampstand lit the Holy Place.
Jesus is the LIGHT of the world. (John 8:12)
He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. (Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9-10)

Incense was to be continually burning, symbolizing the prayers of the priest, on behalf of God’s people, rising to the Lord.
Today, we have direct access to God, while Jesus, and the Holy Spirit within us, intercede for us! (Romans 8:26-27; Romans 8:34)

Every aspect of the tabernacle points to Jesus.
Glimpses of Jesus are revealed through the ENTIRE Old Testament.
Even during His silence from Malachi to the birth of Jesus, He was STILL working out His purposes in His KAIROS time.

Finally, “When the time came to completion, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5, emphasis mine)

God’s timing was PERFECT in sending Jesus to be born in Bethlehem.
His timing was PERFECT in having Him crucified in Jerusalem.

His timing WILL BE perfect once more when He sends Jesus to establish His eternal kingdom. He will make all things new again, restoring the perfection that was broken and lost when sin entered the world in the Garden. (Revelation 21:5)

We may feel God is slow in answering prayers, be it physical healing, adoption paperwork, financial provision, or His final return.

We may grow impatient as we wait.
When waiting seems too much to bear, we can look back through the Bible and see God at work, masterfully weaving a beautiful tapestry to bring about His plans at JUST THE RIGHT TIME.

Maybe not according to OUR chronos way of thinking, but rather in His sovereign, divine, PERFECT kairos timing!

So, as we watch and wait, may we trust and confidently declare with the Apostle John, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

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The GT Weekend! ~ Alive Week 3

October 2, 2021 by Erin O'Neal Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

1) I recently read a Tim Keller quote stating, “God will either give us what we ask for in prayer or give us what we would have asked for if we knew everything He knows.” His point is we always see our circumstances (and pray about them) from a limited viewpoint. We cannot know all the things God knows, because we are not Him. He alone knows all things, and can judge what is truly good. Romans 8:28 tells us, “all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purposes.” Does this change the way you view your circumstances? Reflecting on your history, are there any events that seemed decidedly not good which you now recognize as for your good? Maybe there are difficult events you cannot fathom why they happened. Perhaps even now you are experiencing a difficult season and cannot see how this could possibly be good. Whichever of these statements resonates with you (maybe all three!), turn those circumstances over to the Lord. Ask Him to reveal His goodness to you and empower you to trust that what He says He will do, He does. He will work all things for our good, even when we cannot see how.

2) Jesus Christ was described by the prophet Isaiah as a “man of suffering who knew what sickness was” (Isaiah 53:3) or as another translation says, He was “acquainted with grief.” (ESV) Jesus knows suffering, just as much, even more, than us. We saw in Wednesday’s Journey of God’s promise to equip, carry, and sustain us through every season of life, even those of intense suffering. Michelle wrote, “Our sufferings do not change the realities and truth of God’s love for us.” Do you believe this, dear sister? Do you affirm that nothing can separate us from the love of our great God? Consider your current season of life. Are you in a season of comfort, enjoying the light of life with few cares? Remain steadfast in your relationship with the Lord. Speak loudly the truth today, so when trials come, you may hold fast in the day of trouble. Are you in a season of suffering, with wave after wave of grief wearing away at your heart? Cling to the Rock of your salvation. Remember the truths you have found in the light. Are you somewhere in between? Maybe your life has more downs than you would like, but you feel capable of managing. Do not forget the source of your comfort and true strength. Resist the temptation to rely on yourself! Jesus Christ must hold you fast. Write out an honest prayer asking God to meet you where you are to equip, carry, and sustain you through the now.

3) “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) How many times have you heard this verse and focused on the first half regarding being “more than conquerors” without considering the second half, which emphasizes our source, “through Jesus Christ our Lord”? Paul writes these words, not from a place of pride in his own work, but in a humble reverence for the work of God in his life. This week, we spent much time discussing suffering and life circumstances, but the truth is, no matter what season of life we are in, the key to living a victorious life is to abide in Jesus Christ. How can you practice abiding in Christ this week? In John 15:8, Jesus says, “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.” Ask God to show you how He is specifically calling you to live for Him in everyday life as you abide in Him this week. Maybe He is calling you to repent of sin that you cannot defeat on your own, confessing that you have fallen short and need His victorious strength. Maybe He is calling you to show His redeeming love to someone in your life who is hard to love. Maybe He is asking you to spend more time meditating on the things of God than the things of the world. Ask Him to show you what He is asking of you, and make a plan to be obedient to His call.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 138:7-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

If I walk in the thick of danger,
You will preserve my life
From the anger of my enemies.
You will extend your hand;
Your right hand will save me.
The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.
Lord, Your faithful love
Endures forever;
Do not abandon the work
Of your hands.

Prayer Journal
Heavenly Father, King of my heart, Lord of my life, You are good. All Your ways are good. All Your thoughts are good. But the world around us lacks the good we so desire. Because of sin and brokenness, we are keenly aware of suffering and hardship in this world. From sickness and disease, to poverty and injustice, we don’t need to look far to see pain and suffering. But, we stand firm in the day of our trouble, knowing the truths of Your goodness, love, and faithfulness do not waiver, no matter our circumstances. Forgive us when we doubt. Forgive us for our short-sightedness and self-dependence. Help us live our lives abiding in You. As king David wrote in the Psalms, “For Your faithful love guides me, and I live by your truth.” (Psalm 26:3) Help us, oh Lord, to live by Your truth, trusting that all things will work together for our good because we love and serve a good, good God.

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Alive Day 9 The Groaning: Digging Deeper

September 23, 2021 by Mandy Farmer Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out The Groaning!

The Questions

1) What were the sufferings of the present time, and what future glory was Paul referencing? (verse 18)

2) How does the “groaning of creation” point to truth? (verses 19-20, 22)

3) Who are the firstfruits of the Spirit? (verse 23)

Romans 8:18-23

¹⁸For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. ¹⁹For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. ²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility–not willingly, but because of him who subjected it–in the hope ²¹that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. ²²For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. ²³Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits–we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Original Intent

1) What were the sufferings of the present time, and what future glory was Paul referencing? (verse 18)
Persecution of the church began as soon as it was birthed. Immediately in Acts we find the temple police and Sadducees putting apostles in prison (Acts 4) and stoning the Christians, including Stephen. (Acts 7) Some of this was under the leadership of Saul (later Paul). Paul suffered greatly after his salvation. Right from the start, he was blinded and needed to find his way to Ananias for prayer in order to be healed. Some think that poor eyesight was the suffering “thorn” he bore, or perhaps his health issues contributed to his poor eyesight. (Acts 9:15-16, 2 Corinthians 12:1-6) (Blue Letter Bible) He wrote to the Corinthians concerning his many trials throughout his ministry. (2 Corinthians 4:8-12) He was beaten, imprisoned, stoned, shipwrecked, weary, sleepless, poor, hungry and thirsty, cold and naked. Yet, through Christ, he prevailed. (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) (Bible Charts.org) He often shared, however, that these sufferings not only kept him humble, but also cultivated his faith. God used Paul’s sufferings to further God’s Kingdom and spread the Gospel to the Gentiles. These persecutions continued not only for Paul, but for all believers in the first century leading up to all the horrific acts of Nero and many others against Christians. Paul’s letters, which were already circulating by the time of Nero, would become a great source of encouragement to the early Church, reminding them of future glory with Christ. We often think of “future glory” as being “when we all get to heaven” where sorrows and tears are gone. But Paul shared with the Romans of the peace available now as well as the certainty of knowing that God was working through their afflictions to produce His character in them. (Romans 5:1-5)

2) How does the “groaning of creation” point to truth? (verses 19-20, 22)
“The heaven declares the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1) God’s creation is so wonderful that it alone can draw us to God. Just from observing creation, all people can see that God is Truth; we are all without excuse of understanding a Creator exists. “Ever since the creation of the world His eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things He has made.” (Romans 1:20) Yet, creation has been groaning since the Fall of Man. (Genesis 3) The ground was “subjected to futility” (verse 20) because of sin and it began to decay even as our bodies decay; aching to be restored to its original state. Creation waits, just as we wait, to be fully redeemed. Isaiah shares how it once was in the Garden of Eden before sin entered the world, and how it will be again one day, ‘The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat. The calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf will be together, and a child will lead them.” (Read more in Isaiah 11:6-9!) The Psalmist wrote of the second coming of Jesus as well saying all creation would praise God and truth would be revealed, “Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for He is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.” (Psalm 96:11-13, NLT)

3) Who are the firstfruits of the Spirit? (verse 23)
When Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai, God gave instruction for building the tabernacle and how to celebrate the feasts. (Leviticus 23) The feasts were periods on the Jewish calendar to stop and worship the Lord, it was a time to remember what God had done. I found the study of the feasts very exciting as they each pointed to Jesus, even though they were instituted centuries before He was born. The Feast of Firstfruits directly followed Passover, which was a celebration of spring and new crops. Everyone offered up to God the very first of their crops during the Feast of Firstfruits. It was no coincidence that Jesus rose from the dead on the Feast of Firstfruits as the ultimate celebration of new life. He was the first to rise from the dead and live forever. (Matthew 28) All who trust Christ for forgiveness and salvation will experience this same resurrection from the dead! “For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, those who belong to Christ”. (1 Corinthians 15:22-23) (Finding Christ in the Feast of Firstfruits) Something I find interesting is that an earthquake (creation groaning) was the first to celebrate the resurrection. The earth groaned exceedingly during the crucifixion, (Matthew 27:45-54) but creation shook again, this time with anticipation, at His resurrection. (Matthew 28:2)

Everyday Application

1) What were the sufferings of the present time, and what future glory was Paul referencing? (verse 18)
Paul wrote of his sufferable “thorn in the flesh” to the church in Corinth saying, “…so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9) We can’t identify exactly what Paul’s thorn was, but this unknown is for our advantage; we can relate his sufferings with our own regardless of their source. Christians from many generations have benefited by his reference to the thorn while applying it to their specific problems. (Dr. Thomas Constable) The thorn of which Paul speaks gives us an understanding of God’s perspective concerning physical infirmities and suffering. (Blue Letter Bible) Personally, I have suffered from chronic pain for over 10 years. At times the pain is excruciating, but I have found complete trust in God despite the intensity. Turning to God in my pain has resulted in a much deeper relationship with the Lord of Lords than I would have had before. At one point, I had the same conversation with God that Paul records. “Please, Lord, take this pain away from me. I have learned my lesson.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) But God reminded me that I, like Paul, needed this pain to keep me humble. So, we walk hand in hand, day-by-day as I learn to trust Him more. It’s a wonderful hope of glory! I look forward to the day when He will wipe away every tear from my eyes. (Revelation 21:4) Then I will leap with the lame, see with the blind, hear with the deaf, and shout with the mute! Oh! What a glorious day!

2) How does the “groaning of creation” point to truth? (verses 19-20, 22)
Today, we are seeing the teaching of Jesus on the Mount of Olives fulfilled. He said mankind would become increasingly evil, fighting brother against brother. “There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these events are the beginning of labor pains.” (Matthew 24:3-8, emphasis mine) We are certainly seeing those labor pains in our day through earthquakes, tsunamis, famines, mud slides, volcanoes, fires, and other “natural disasters”. We hardly recover from one tragedy before another comes. Earthquakes alone have been increasing over the 120 years they have been recorded. You may remember the deadly earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004. (World Vision) That year there were 1,672 earthquakes around the world. After that, numbers increased steadily through 2011 which topped at 2,481. We have had a slight drop since then, ranging between 1433 and 1808. But still, that is at least 4 earthquakes somewhere in the world every day. (Statista) All that without mentioning other “groanings of creation”! Obviously, the earth groans for the coming inheritance promised in Revelation by the Creator God Himself. The Apostle John wrote down what He saw as the new heaven and earth. (Revelation 1:1-2) Certainly, what we see in John’s book of revelations is only a glimpse of what we will experience in perfected Glory with God such as, clean water, the Tree of Life bearing all kinds of fruit, and the curse removed. Revelation 22:1-3 says, “Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lambdown the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse.

3) Who are the firstfruits of the Spirit? (verse 23)
When we accept Christ as Savior, we become a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) His Holy Spirit works within us to remove our carnal spirit and to become new in Him. The things in our past are now gone! We are now alive in Christ. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6) Paul takes it one step further… “so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7) One day, all who trust Christ for forgiveness of sin and have repented (turned away from) of their sin will rise! We will be raptured into Heaven ever to be with the Lord. This is our very certain future hope! “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) And that time, our adoption in Christ will be finalized and our bodies will be gloriously changed. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58) So, in conclusion, dear sisters, I urge you, just as Paul did the Corinthians, “Be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Alive Day 8 The Groaning

September 22, 2021 by Rebekah Hargraves Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:18-23
Romans 8:15-17
2 Corinthians 5:16-19
Genesis 3

Alive, Day 8

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly awaits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility–not willingly, but because of him who subjected it–in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. Not only that, but we who have the Spirit as the firstfruits–we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:18-23)

As we have been journeying together through Romans 8, we recently read “Adopted” covering verses 15-17, which told us of our adoption as children of God and our inheritance as co-heirs with Christ, both in suffering and glory. In turning our focus to verses 18-23, we unpack what is meant by “sufferings.”

Today’s passage speaks to our innermost groanings experienced on a daily basis as we journey through life in a fallen world. Not only do we groan, but the whole of creation groans right along with us, not one aspect of creation remains unaffected by the fall. All of creation groans for a better life and a more eternal inheritance, because our world was never meant to be broken this way.

This world, according to verse 20, has been “subjected to futility.” The Greek word for futility is “mataiotēs,” and literally means “what is devoid of truth and appropriateness, perverseness, depravity, frailty, want of vigour.” Reverend Matthew Henry, a great author of Bible commentaries, further explained, “There is a present vanity to which the creature, by reason of the sin of man, is made subject. When man sinned, the ground was cursed for man’s sake, and with it all the creatures (especially of this lower world, where our acquaintance lies) became subject to that curse, became mutable and mortal, under the bondage of corruption.”

Never before has the reality of this groaning seemed as clear and tangible for me personally. As I write, I am a mere three weeks into my husband’s first deployment, a separation I know is a direct result of the fall. Were it not for sin, disease, and trial in this life, military deployments would be unnecessary and my kids and I would not be separated from our favorite person for the next several months. We are only three weeks in, but we’ve already experienced our own fair share of groaning.

Because of the fall and our disobedience, we experience a brokenness all around us in this life, a suffering which often feels too much to bear. In those moments, it’s vital to understand such misery is not doled out at the whim of a cruel God, but is the direct result of our sin.
Our sin is a slap in the face of God’s righteousness and His loving care towards us, His creation.
Our sin is not a mere mistake, accident, or “no big deal” we can just explain away.
Rather, it is something we must own, for it keeps us impossibly far from God – were it not for Christ.

The good news in the midst of this hard, sad reality is that Christ has secured for us a sonship, an adoption into the family of God which provides us with a rich inheritance. Just as we have been made alive in the Spirit, so, too, do our bodies anticipate the coming inheritance of life on a new earth.

The most blessed and encouraging part of this inheritance?
It is so rich and grand that it renders the sufferings of the here-and-now
as nothing in comparison!
(Romans 8:23)

Which is saying a lot, considering just how painful our sufferings can be! Yet truly, our suffering is a mere blip on the backdrop of the whole of eternity, a painful blip, yes, but nothing compared to the unimaginable joy that will be ours! (Romans 8:18)

As long as these days of deployment feel, they are nothing compared to the unending years of eternity.

As challenging as solo parenting is for me in this season, it is nothing compared to the unending joy and peace I will enjoy for eternity.

As alone as I sometimes feel right now, it is nothing compared to the unending fellowship I will have with the God of the universe and all His people for eternity.

It is true that life in this fallen world is hard.
But it is also true that hardship doesn’t get the last word.
In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul reveals how God sets about making all things new in our hearts when we come to Him in salvation. And this restorative aspect of God’s character? It will see its final and ultimate manifestation on that glorious day when the world-breaking curse is itself broken. (Revelation 21:1-5)

So, take heart, dear friend, in the midst of whatever hardship these words find you.
We’ll be home – for all eternity! – before we know it if we lay claim to the gift of Life that Jesus holds out to each of us right now!

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