Life is not fair, one says. Deal with it, another exclaims. My life is filled with lemons, one complains. Learn to make lemonade, my boy, another instructs. And of course, well-meaning observers advise: Toughen up. Develop thick skin. Adopt a cest la vie mindset. Keep your emotions under the sleeve. Is it not difficult at best and debilitating at worst to see lush and green grass on the other side of the fence while yours is dry and brown? When all the signs indicate that youre the one doing all the watering, it seems unfair that the neighbors lawn is faring ten times better. When it seems youre the one serving and seeking the Lord, is it not challenging to undergo trial after trial while others seem to be thriving in every way? Friends, on this 7th morning of Advent, my mind goes to a passage from the Holy Word I do not usually consider in the context of Advent -- Malachi 3:13-18 -- but today it ministers to my heart like no other. It reads like this: You have spoken arrogantly against me, says the Lord. Yet you ask, What have we said against You? You have said, It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out His requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it. Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name. On the day when I act, says the Lord Almighty, they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. As I ponder the above passage, I cannot help but see how very much these words resonate with the hope of Advent. I can see that regardless of what happens to me in this life, the Most High God is my source and my hope. As such, even in the light of a tumultuous life and less than satisfying circumstances, He is still my constant refuge and shield. When it rains on my parade, He is my hope. When water is dumped on my fire, He is my hope. When my dreams and goals are dashed, He is my hope. When my heart is torn and broken and sorrowful, He is my hope. When, a year ago, I was contemplating the atrocious death of my brother and the seeming victory of the wicked (in this case, the abductors/murderers) who took away his oh so precious life -- my tears are still so fresh, my heart still so raw -- I found Christ to be my only hope. Certainly, both the abduction and the eventual assassination were allowed to occur and, to be sure, it was the worst tragedy I have had to face in my life. Still, the Fathers Word remains true: He will come to deliver those who believe in Him. The Coming One says, On the day when I act . . . they will be my treasured possession. I will spare [the righteous], just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. So, did He or did He not spare my brothers life? From an earthly perspective, the sheer fact that for the past 54 weeks I have not seen the sparkle in his eyes or heard his memorable jokes causes me to admit that God did not spare Simon. His treasured counsel, infectious laughter, loving words, and encouraging spirit have not been with me for ages, it seems. And I grieve over the monumental loss of his presence. Yet . . . (Praise the Lord!) . . . from a heavenly or biblical perspective, the loving Father graciously spared Simon. Though my brother suffered a great deal as he was mercilessly tortured, the Father did not leave him comfortless. Our Lord is Immanuel -- God with us. He heard Simons cries, felt his aching heart, watched his agony, saw his pain, listened to his plea, paid attention to his labored breathing until the very last molecule exited my beloved brothers body. Our Father was so sensitive to Simons needs that He kept a detailed record of the hurts endured by His faithful son. Does the Father spare the persecuted Church? As far as I can understand from an earthly perspective, suicide bombers continue to claim hundreds and thousands of lives, others are starved to death, yet others are fatally shot, and still others are inhumanely treated in prisons -- lives upon lives have not been spared physically. Yet, amidst chaos and grief, Gods glory is manifested as these lost lives bear witness to the truth and hope of the gospel. Does the Father spare you and me? Friends, you and I have been spared (thus far) the abduction and assassination that snatched my brother away from this earth. Yet, in our own way, we have not been spared the injustices that crowd our lives. Wounds and stripes of different shades and weights have been inflicted upon us. Is life fair? No. Not at all. But hope still stands. Whatever unfairness or persecution or trial you and I may face, let us remember Bethlehem, the town where the hopes and fears of all the years were met in the coming of Christ. Yes. The Coming One will do for all His faithful children what He did for my brother and all other martyrs for the cause of Christ. He is our comfort. He will graciously come and act when He sees fit to do so. He will wrap us up in the fold of His arms of love, compassion, and grace. He will distinguish in the day of reckoning between those who serve Him and those who do not. Though we cannot see everything right now, the day will come when our faith will be indeed sight. Come, Lord Jesus! You are our only hope!
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 14:48:21 +0000
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