His Glory Will Be Revealed

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
(Romans 8:18)

Meditation

What kind of suffering have you been through? Have you been stoned and left for dead? Have you been jailed for simply sharing the truth? I can’t imagine the kinds of suffering the first century believers had to go through. The world again is not a favorable place for followers of Jesus Christ. They are routinely burned alive, beheaded, or crucified by Muslim terrorists in the Middle-East. I’m sure there wouldn’t be one of the victims of those atrocities that welcomed their executions. I have experienced suffering in my life. I have no personal experience with the kinds of persecution that would threaten mine or my loved ones’ lives. The suffering I experienced before I was saved was pretty much of my own doing.  
I am now a follower of Jesus and married to the most beautiful woman in the world. I am not suffering right now, in fact, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I am blessed to live in a country where, for now, I am free to worship and serve my Lord out in the open. However, I know that suffering will come to me, and all other believers in this country one day. However, I also know that Jesus will see me through. I just have to keep things in perspective. No one ever likes it when trouble comes their way. I know I don’t like it at all. Just the fact that I am a Christian will bring with it a certain amount of persecution. There have been times when it seemed like my little piece of the world was totally against me. That’s when I decided to keep my eye on the prize. That would be eternity with the one who saved me, Jesus!
Trials and tribulations will come, there is nothing I can do to stop them. The only thing I can do is choose how I’m going to respond. When I’m in the midst of suffering I try to take heart and remember the promise I hold dear. I have the Lord who has promised to never leave or forsake me. No matter what I’m going through he will be there. When I come to my senses, I’m brought to my knees in praise and thanksgiving. Nothing that we experience in this life will diminish what we will receive as our reward. When we’re standing in the presence of our Savior, the glories of heaven will make our sufferings in the here and now seem totally inconsequential. The open arms of Jesus and the wonders of heaven await us. 




Daily Prayer

We wait, Father, and we hope. Our hope is in you and always will be. That blessed hope for the resurrection and spending eternity with you in heaven. We wait, dear Jesus, and we long for your peace to encompass the whole world. A peace that comes from trusting you and making you Lord of our lives. We wait, Holy Spirit, for all the world to experience your guidance that comes in that still small voice. This world is full of treachery and violence. We need you to calm our fears for the unknown. There is no suffering that we can experience that will keep us from loving and trusting you. We plead with you, Father, for the lost, that they will be saved from the horrors of hell. Please, Lord, give us the words to say that will help save a lost soul. Father, we love you and want to live in your will. Father, please don’t let anything we suffer now draw us away from you. Bolster our courage as we face persecution and help us to hold back any retaliatory or angry reactions. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!

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