But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Suffering appears to be the order of the day these days. At any given time, in our world, suffering is an ever-present reality. However, during this unprecedented time of pandemic, suffering seems to be multiplying exponentially. Not only this, but it seems quite certain that those of us who have yet to be touched personally by this suffering will likely not remain untouched for long. The contrasting images of empty streets and hospital hallways lined with the bodies of the sick and dying in Italy and Spain are likely not too far off for the USA. What can we do? Quarantine, clean, keep away. This is all well and good, but such activities, though they may go far in flattening the curve, don’t go far in feeding the soul. Even our government seems to tell us that though take out from McDonalds is an essential, critical function in our society, spiritual nourishment is not. Please, please quarantine, clean, keep away. And seek healthy outlets for physical activity that are sanitary and socially distanced. Yet, do not neglect the most profound source of life and joy and growth in this time of suffering: God. It is in His Word, by His Spirit, with His people, that we are able to rejoice even in the face of suffering. Why? Because as the verse above instructs, we are loved! The very God who formed us has demonstrated to us the most profound and unimaginable kind of love—He has sacrificed Himself for us. Jesus experienced the most unthinkable kind of suffering, through His death on the cross, for us. We are loved! Why is it that I struggle so much, in the face of trials, to remember just how much I am loved? When it comes to recalling that I stand in grace before God, reconciled through the sacrificial death of His Son, I have the attention span of a four-year-old. Why am I so quick to allow trials to distract, divert, sidetrack my trust in God? I am Peter on the water focused on the storm rather than Christ. I am Thomas with the disciples focused on physical evidence rather than on faith. I am Paul on the road to Emmaus seeking my own agenda rather than embracing the agenda of God. I am David in the psalms dwelling on my pain and suffering rather than on the comfort of the Lord, my Shepherd. There is nothing new under the sun. We are a people “prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” We are those who believe, yet must still cry out, “help my unbelief.” What would our lives be like if we could learn to more constantly abide in Jesus and His love even in the face of adversity? What would it be like if we could look trials in the face, rejoicing all the while, in our glorious hope? What would it be like if, in the midst of pandemic, we could remember that God’s Kingdom purposes are never thwarted, and that He has in store for us an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade? It’s true…we struggle to embrace who we are in Christ. We struggle to trust in the fact that we are loved. Yet, what we learn from Romans 5 is that we aren’t hamsters on a wheel going ‘round and ‘round but never progressing. Sometimes it feels like that. But God’s Word tells us that as we respond to suffering by firmly grasping our glorious hope, we learn perseverance. And perseverance grows Godly character with us. With what result? A firmer grasp on our glorious hope. It is noteworthy that the answer to suffering in Romans 5 is not “I think I can” or “we got this” or “Make American Great Again.” The answer to suffering is embracing the fact that “God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” We are loved. We are reconciled to God. As a result, we have a glorious hope that moves us to rejoice (Philippians 4:4-9)! Rejoice? Rejoice in the face of suffering, of loss, of loneliness, of disruption, of illness, of death? Yes, even in the face of the darkest trials, God’s light shines like a beacon because we know that we are not alone, that He is with us by His Spirit, and that nothing can rob us of His matchless love. So, let’s quarantine, clean and keep away. But let’s feed our souls. Let’s not give up meeting together, even though it be via livestream. Let’s not give up caring for each other, even though it is over a phone or internet connection. And let’s not forget that a pandemic cannot inhibit, but can actually sharpen, the most powerful form of fellowship we can experience as a human being: fellowship with God in His Word, in worship, in prayer. What if even a fraction of the daily time we spend on the endless news feeds was spent, instead, talking to God in prayer, hearing from God in His Word, encouraging and being encouraged by His people? Here’s the bad news: Suffering is here and greater suffering is coming. Here’s the Good News: God is here and God is coming. God’s love is with us in our present sufferings and God’s love will eventually result in the consummation of His forever Kingdom where our loving Father will wipe every tear from our eyes (Revelation 7:9-17 & 21:1-5). We have hope! Now, more than ever, may we embrace this hope and joy in the matchless, immeasurable, unshakable love of God.
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Dan GannonDan has ministered at Renton Bible Church, with his wife Debbie, since 2003. Archives
June 2022
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