Friday, March 19: John 16-

How does God do it? Do what? Provide just the encouragement or word of comfort I need, when I need it. Provide just the measure of faith I need, when I need it. Provide just the touch or grace I need, when I need it.

Yesterday someone share a mistake recently made and the loss that has come from it. Today someone I’ve know for years died. Truthfully my heart is a bit fragile right now.

I came to my Bible reading empty, fragile, in need. What would God say? Would He speak or be silent? In my emptiness I wasn’t sure. God might be silent as I read His word yet envelope me in His love. He might speak through a word, verse or entire chapter. God could be present with me in a myriad of ways. I know I can trust my Lord.

Verse 20 caught my attention: I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. I realize that Jesus is speaking to his friend about His impending death. Yet the words resonated with me.  Today I mourn for the friend who has died and for the friend who is experiencing loss from a mistake. I don’t think the world is rejoicing about either of these but I grieve. Grief is part of life. I cannot shield myself from grief, unless I shield myself from people and that would be terribly unhealthy and lonely. So I grieve today.

I also take tremendous comfort in Jesus’ words that follow. Again I realize that He is speaking of the resurrection, His resurrection. …but your grief will turn to joy. I cling to that truth. My dead friend was a Christ-follower.  Today my friend is with the Father, Jesus and the Spirit in glory. Today I grieve, today my friend glories.  My grief will turn to joy over the next days because that’s resurrection faith.

Today my mistaken-friend grieves loss due to a mistake and I grieve along with my friend. This friend, too, is a Christ-follower and resurrection faith instructs me that even in our frailty, mistakes and sins, God can and does bring about good even from our mistakes… (Romans 8:28: note ‘all things’, Solomon from Bathsheba, Ruth the Moabite becoming the great-grandmother of David).

Lord, today I pray for my friend’s grieving family and for my mistaken-friend and for myself… that we all experience resurrection power… In the matchless name of Jesus I pray, amen.

 

 

 

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