Verses To Abide In
FOR GOD, WHO SAID, "LET LIGHT SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS," HAS SHONE IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST. BUT WE HAVE THIS TREASURE IN JARS OF CLAY, TO SHOW THAT THE SURPASSING POWER BELONGS TO GOD AND NOT TO US. WE ARE AFFLICTED IN EVERY WAY, BUT NOT CRUSHED; PERPLEXED, BUT NOT DRIVEN TO DESPAIR; PERSECUTED, BUT NOT FORSAKEN; STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED; THROUGH SUFFERING OUR BODIES CONTINUE TO SHARE IN THE DEATH OF JESUS, SO THAT THE LIFE OF JESUS MAY ALSO BE SEEN IN OUR BODIES. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:6-10, ESV, NLT
From the Heart
Can you think of a time when the life of Jesus was seen in you through your suffering?
When I first pondered this question, a memory came to mind from when my son, Jeremy, was about 2 years old. We had been dealing about every six months or so with episodes of seizures and paralysis on one side of his body (somewhat like what a stroke patient needs therapy and recovery from). We had a second opinion from a reputable doctor at John Hopkins and decided to ask Jeremy’s neurologist (who had encouraged us earlier in the endeavor of searching for answers) to do a recommended treatment. For some reason his secretary was not relaying the message to the doctor for us. I called frequently learning from past experiences that sometimes it was the only way to get things done. One phone call the secretary reamed into me, telling me how important the doctor was (which he was) and how important his time was, etc…it really felt like a verbal assault at the time. By God’s grace and the work of the Holy Spirit I responded kindly though still with resolve of my son’s needs to be taken care of.
Finally in one of my conversations with this same secretary, she understood what I was requesting, it was like a switch went on. And she put in a request for it to the doctor.
Jeremy responded so well to the treatment he didn’t have an episode of seizures or paralysis for two years, the longest stretch without at that point.
Later the secretary and I were talking on the phone and she actually apologized for how she treated me. I was able to tell her how the Lord was my strength and because of his love given to me from him, he made it overflow from me to her.
Thank you, Lord!
“Through suffering our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.”
2 Corinthians 4:6-10 Song