"Blessed is any weight ... that God has been so goodas to fasten with His own hand upon our shoulders."
~ Frederick W. Faber
Endures Forever
These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
"I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich) ... Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."
~ Revelation 2:8-10 (NKJV)
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever...
to the One who remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies,
His love endures forever...
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
~ Psalms 136:1-3,23-24,26 (NIV)
As He speaks to Smyrna, Jesus calls Himself "the First and the Last, who died and came to life again." He reminds of His eternal perspective, and that He has tasted death.
Death around us has a way of sucking away the life within us. Suffering, testing and tribulation have a way of narrowing our perspective to "right now" in a way that seems to endure forever.
Psalm 136 declares 26 times that it is the Lord's love which endures forever. Throughout Scripture we see that suffering, testing, tribulation last for a set time—and no more.
The above image hangs above my writing desk, and above that is a single word: ENDURANCE. Whatever we are going through, however long it lasts, we can endure. When Jesus tells us to take up a cross daily and walk uphill, He is asking us to simply follow Him.
Father in Heaven, surely we become weary in well-doing because we do not gain strength from You as we should. You have promised we shall not be tested beyond our ability to endure. Please take us into Your arms and carry us when we become weak. Please give us Your perspective of the eternal and the temporal.
Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
#suffering
Artwork "Road to the Cross" by Brian Jekel © DaySpring and published by the MasterPeace collection
I was thinking about different seasons of my life today and how i've had to get through them best as I could. I feel like in a lot of ways I'm in a big one now. This speaks to me. Thank you Anne.
ReplyDeleteFather, grant us grace to joyfully endure our cross as part of our maturity process. Not only that, a testimony of sharing in Your suffering.
ReplyDeleteHe is beautifully carrying me and my husband right now, and we are so grateful.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, to endure this life and these moments is much easier when I know that I neither walk this path first or alone.
ReplyDeleteShalom,
Denise
Good words for a Wednesday morning ... :-)
ReplyDeleteThis reached right in and grabbed my heart. Today our youngest child is three. As I've shared with you before, we went through such a dark season before she was conceived. I endured much. God brought me through. When I tell her happy birthday a million times today I remember the gift of her presence.
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
I just stopped by to thank you for your voice on my blog in these last weeks.
ReplyDeleteAnd as has been the case with almost all of my comment returns, I needed this today. Thank you.
In my weakness, in my failures, in my distress ~ I have found Him faithful. I am glad for the reminder that testing is usually for a limited time, for I have asked God, "Is enough not enough?"
ReplyDelete(tribulations ~ patience ~ experience ~ hope)
T. Anne, my sense is that each trial strengthens our faith (if we let it), preparing us for ever bigger trials which surely come.
ReplyDeleteBible Lover, I echo your prayer. Sharing the suffering of Jesus in fellowship with Him is the blessing in it if anything is.
Denise, thank you for your continuing testimony. Praying for you and Eddie.
Denise @ Sacred Longing, He asked us "Remember Me" just before He died. He knows suffering. He is right here with us in it. Nothing you feel right now in all your trial is not felt by Him with equal intensity.
Russell, is it indeed Wednesday?
Wendy, oh how you've captured all that a birthday celebration should be! If it is nothing else it should be thanks to God for the wonderful people in our lives—like you! :D
Kelly, you don't even need to endure one day at a time. Take it moment by moment. His grace is indeed sufficient. It is evident in you.
Patty, I had an image today of Moses, his arms upheld by others when he could no longer hold them up Himself. "Is enough not enough?" is the cry for Him to come and uphold us. The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. (Psalms 145:18)