By David Schlie
Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
Hebrews 13:5 Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
What wonderful words! God’s promises and fulfillment of those promises are like a warm blanket for the soul. This comfort is not based on wishful thinking or words that we just simply like, but they are real. They are truth.
Acts 1:11 tells us that Jesus will return just as he left. Do these words give comfort even though they were promised two thousand years ago? For this reason Jesus gives us signs to notice (Matthew 24:6-8). The signs remind us of his imminent return. The signs tell us to be ready each and every day. Don’t let the signs be a wet blanket on your life, even though pain and suffering coincide with them.
Luke 21:11 speaks of pestilence—a disease, epidemic. Jesus said these signs are like birth pains. Yes, they are difficult to deal with, but they point to something miraculous and glorious later. They will come to an end and will transition to something that will never end, which is our eternal life with Jesus in heaven.
All because He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
Question for Contemplation:
How and why can believers deal with challenging or difficult times differently than nonbelievers?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, every time I hear bad news, may it drive me closer to you, being reminded that your presence is always with me. Amen.