Expect Suffering

When Jesus walked the earth He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief (Is. 53:3).  Because His love is without limit, His suffering is beyond our ability to comprehend.  When the Father placed the sins of the world upon Christ as He hung on the cross Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  Jesus knew from before the foundations of the earth were established He would reveal His love and grace through His death upon the cross.  He also knew a vast majority of the people He suffered on behalf of would hate and reject Him.  Jesus was compelled by His love and obedience to the Father to suffer, die, and rise again.

A servant is not above his master.  The doctrine of suffering is real, and it is also real unpopular.  Peter states in 1 Peter 4:12-13:  "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; [13] but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy."  Jesus didn't build up people with only the "positive" aspects of following Him like communion with God, peace, forgiveness, love, and an eternal home in the heavens.  The funny thing is our failures and struggles have the greatest positive effect upon our hearts, faith, and character!  Here are samples of what Jesus told His followers concerning suffering:  Luke 6:22 says, "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake."  John 16:1-2:  "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. [2] They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.  Also in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."  We will have tribulation, but that does not move a man who is founded on the Chief Cornerstone who is Christ.

As I await God's leading in regards to ministry in Australia, I identify with Paul's words in 1 Cor. 4:11-13:  "To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. [12] And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; [13] being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now."  I do not paint ministry and service of Christ in Australia or America with a romantic hue, but have a sure expectation of this scripture being fulfilled in my life to a greater degree than ever before.  This is what distinguishes Christians from all other people in the world.  To die daily to self with the sure expectation of suffering, yet pressing on relentlessly because Christ has become exceedingly precious to us.  The more we suffer, the more indispensable He is.  We recognize more and more our need for Him to uphold and save us.  There is genuine substance to a life in Christ.  A man is willing to suffer anything and be seen as the offscouring of all things in the eyes of the world to simply have Jesus.

As a family we've been reading through 2nd Chronicles studying the life of King Hezekiah of Judah.  It is packed with powerful stories and spiritual principles.  Maybe someday I will have the privilege to preach out of these texts!  I saw a verse yesterday that impacted me in a profound way.  2 Chron. 32:31 reads, "However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him (Hezekiah) to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart."  Fascinating!  The KJV says God left Hezekiah in order to test him, and this word means "to loosen, relinquish, permit."  I wondered how God leaving Hezekiah affected him.  Did he recognize this test as from God?  Did Hezekiah even recognize God withdrew His hand from him?  God always has a purpose, even in dry seasons.  Hezekiah no doubt suffered greatly when God withdrew, but it was to reveal pride which had grown in Hezekiah's heart.  It was a great day when Hezekiah confessed his sin, renounced it, and was restored to fellowship with God.

Christ has promised He will never leave or forsake us, and the meaning of these words is "desertion."  Interestingly enough, when Jesus cried out to the Father "Why have you forsaken me?" the same Greek word is used.  Christ was deserted on the cross because of the sins placed upon Him separated Jesus from fellowship with God.  He was perfectly in tune with the Father, and has complete spiritual awareness.  If we willfully depart from Christ and follow after sin, He has not deserted us:  we have deserted Him!  Choosing sin and rebellion separates us from the presence of God even after one has been born again.  God be praised that He is a Restorer, Savior, and Deliverer is will never slacken His active love toward us.  We see this with the children of Israel.  They followed after idols and iniquity yet when they cried out to God he delivered them.  There was a point, however, where He relinquished His people to the gods they had chosen.  God permitted them to suffer at the hands of their enemies so they would see the futility and wickedness of idolatry.  He did not forsake them but was willing to restore after they bore consequences for their sin.

I believe God is testing me right now, to see what is in my heart.  Will I give up?  Will I give in?  Will I trust without knowing in full His plan and purposes?  How long is too long to wait on God for direction?  I am confident God is training and teaching me things I cannot fathom right now.  Thank God He will never desert us!  All will suffer in this life, Christian or not.  Those who do not have Christ have no hope of salvation, but Christians have Christ and His promises!  Thank God He will not desert us, and everything He does is good!