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Paul’s in prison when he writes to Timothy, his young friend and co-worker. Acts 28 tells us Paul was in Rome at the time, under house-arrest guarded by a soldier. It wasn’t two weeks of quarantine in a hotel to wait for any signs of a virus but two years under house arrest.
During this time and close to the end of his life, Paul writes and describes some disappointment in those he considered friends.
16 When I was first put on trial, no one helped me. In fact, everyone deserted me. I hope it won’t be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood beside me. He gave me the strength to tell his full message, so that all Gentiles would hear it. And I was kept safe from hungry lions. 18 The Lord will always keep me from being harmed by evil, and he will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. Praise him forever and ever! Amen. 2 Timothy 4:16-18
I’ve highlighted the beautiful words of good news for Paul and for us. Jesus stood beside him.
Jesus’ disciples had a very interesting experience of the Lord standing beside them on the first Easter day. Jesus surprised them. Jesus came to bring peace and comfort to them in their fear.
But Thomas was missing and when they told him he wouldn’t believe it. Perhaps he thought it was too good to be true.
Many a sermon has been preached about Thomas and his doubting - with strong encouragement not to doubt like him. I wonder how many sceptic’s lives have been changed by those sermons.
It hit me this year (maybe it’s the isolation), Thomas isn’t the main character in this story, Jesus is. It’s about Jesus and his unending desire and determination to come alongside and help. He came and stood beside the group of disciples and they got it, he was alive. He came again, just for Thomas, and he got it.. Jesus didn’t want Thomas to be left in the dark of uncertainty. Jesus loved Thomas and wanted him to know the good news of his resurrection.
Jesus comes and stands beside us. He’s not satisfied till he knows that we know he’s alive, and that he loves us and is with us.
This is the good news of Easter!
Waiting for Christmas 18th Day in Lent (Tuesday) Read: Romans 8:22-25 “For it was by hope that we were saved; but if we see what we hope for, then it is not really hope. For who of us hopes for something we see? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:24-25 (GNT)
In the beginning of ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’, by C. S. Lewis, the land of Narnia is described as always winter and never Christmas. Narnia has been in a perpetual winter for as long as any of the Narnians could remember because of the reign of the White Witch. There was no hope or light in this winter to remind the Narnians that winter is only temporary (in the Northern Hemisphere, winter means that Christmas is coming). They could see nothing to be hopeful for, yet they hung onto the prophecy of the downfall of the White Witch and the return of Aslan.
For those who haven’t yet read this book, I hope I have given you the incentive to read it. It may seem like a children’s book, but there is so much gospel in it. There is disobedience and forgiveness, evil and the overcoming goodness, sadness and joy! Aslan is the ‘Jesus figure’ who returns to Narnia bringing hope and Christmas and the ending of despair and winter. The coming of Christmas in Narnia is a reminder that no matter how dark the world gets, darkness cannot overcome the light. Christmas was a few months ago now, but every day we need to be reminded of Christmas and the coming of our Saviour.
That is a reason I keep a few nativity scenes up all year round! Jesus has come to bring light into a dark world. So then at Easter, our Saviour’s purpose comes into focus. He came to bring us hope and the surety of eternal life. Lent is sometimes seen as a sombre, dark time as we follow Jesus to the cross. But Jesus did this all for you and me. He went to the cross willingly to give us hope and a future where before there was no hope.
So now we can wait for our salvation patiently knowing that it is in heaven that our Saviour will welcome us with open arms and it will always be Christmas! Even though we can’t see ‘hope’ – know that Jesus is your hope!
Prayer: My loving Saviour, you bring me hope in a darkened world. Give me patience to wait for this eternal joy in your presence. I can’t see it yet, but I wait expectantly and with hope. Amen
Comparisons 17th Day in Lent (Monday) Read: Romans 8:18-21 “I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18 (GNT)
I grew up eating rissoles in hamburgers. Made with minced meat, flour, egg, breadcrumbs, chicken noodle soup mix and spices all these things added made the minced meat go further, especially having four older brothers. My husband, Mark, on the other hand grew up with hamburgers being 100% minced beef – nothing added. Apart from MacDonald’s there are not many places in Australia that serves 100% beef patties. This at times causes Mark consternation. He doesn’t understand why things need to be added to the minced meat. For him there is no comparison in taste.
Me on the other hand, prefer the rissoles for that is what I grew up with; so, we agree to disagree and have to suffer with our differences, depending on who cooks. St Paul tells us throughout Romans and the other letters he has written that we are going to suffer through this life. Hamburger preferences are probably the least of our sufferings. We cannot understand why things happen, ‘Why did God let this happen to me?’
God does not let bad things happen to His children. It is because we sin and we continually do wrong things that evil takes over. God is always there to pick up the pieces and bring comfort, peace and understanding over these situations. God wants us to keep our faith and strengthen our trust in Him. In the above verse, Paul writes that our suffering is nothing compared to our future glory that we all wait in hope for. God gives us in the Bible, little glimpses of what things will be like when we die, but I think it is 100% better than even my greatest hope.
So, we suffer through our hamburger preferences (the little sufferings) and then the bigger times of trials (sickness, loss, family, etc). We know that this suffering will pass and God’s glory will take over, and all creation will experience freedom and be fully restored. Then we will live in an eternal kingdom with no pain or sorrow. Our future hope is 100% better.
Prayer: My loving Father God, I cannot compare what it will be like to live with you in glory. You have planned out my future, and I trust and hope in your promises. Amen.
Producing Flowers 3rd Sunday during Lent Read: Romans 5:1-5 “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5 (NIV)
I do enjoy gardening. Roses are my favourite. Growing roses in the Noosa climate is not easy as the humidity causes rust and the leaves brown easily. I bought a rose when arriving in Noosa after having had many roses in my garden in Loxton. I put it in a pot on my front porch, sheltered from the rain, but it gets morning sun and it just loves it there. All around the year I get not just one bloom, but sometimes eight to ten blooms on one stem. I have learned that it is in the right spot, to give it the right amount of water and fertiliser and I can be confident I will see results if I keep looking after it.
God loves each one of us. He has justified us which means that He has done the planting, the watering and the pruning of our lives and that because He has done it all, we get to bloom under His love. It was through the love of God that He sent His son to die on the cross for each of us and rise on the third day. Because of this we can bloom in heaven eternally with our heavenly Father. This is the hope we have and can live in. God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit to give us the ability to grow and thrive and be confident in the hope of eternal life.
God knows what each of us need to thrive and grow. He places us just where we need to be and gives us just what we need to encourage growth. It is easy to think that we know what to do and that we know better. I could try moving my rose to a new place or try not pruning it each year; but I have a feeling that would stop my beautiful flowers appearing. Persevere in your faith, allow yourself to be pruned and God in His love will produce some beautiful flowers in your life. God knows what is best for us – always!
Prayer: Merciful God and our loving Saviour Jesus Christ, you know what is best for me. Allow me to be shaped and pruned by you so that I can grow in your love and faith. Amen.