From: August 26, 2024
“But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9 ESV).
In his second letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul wrote how the hardships he and his fellow believers had experienced in Asia Minor had nearly crushed them. For their afflictions were so great that they despaired of life itself. Yet the Lord was faithful and their experience taught them to rely on God alone.
God often allows trouble and suffering to crush our self-reliance in order to teach us to rely wholly on Him. We may think that we have fully trusted the Lord for all things. Yet when we experience the loss of physical health or of a job or the death of a loved one, we find that our trust of the Lord was not whole. Walking with a limp, we learn to lean more fully on the Lord.
Those who have learned to rely on God alone have learned true contentment. For they have learned to cast all their cares on Him.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we cast all our cares, all our fears, all our worries on You today. For we know that You love us and care for us. Help us to know complete contentment and peace in You, knowing that You are even able to raise the dead. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 26, 2023
“How can your empty clichés comfort me? All your explanations are lies!” (Job 21:34 NLT).
On top of all of Job’s grief he had to suffer the futile comfort of his so-called friends. Job had lost his children, his wealth and even his own health, yet those who came to pay their respects had no real comfort to give him. They only offered empty clichés. They even began to argue with him that he must have sinned in some way to have brought such catastrophe upon himself. With friends such as these, who needs enemies?
When someone we care about experiences a loss, we must take care about what we say to them. When we feel tempted to offer “empty clichés,” we must learn to stay quiet and listen. Don’t say, “I know how you feel.” Because you don’t. Take care not to offer your story of loss in an attempt to commiserate. It won’t help them. Are you there to comfort or to be comforted?
And all of those other clichés are just as empty. “Now she has her angel wings,” or “Remember, every cloud has a silver lining,” or “Tomorrow’s another day” may sound good in your head, but they won’t help your grieving friend.
“So, what can I say?” You ask.
You might try: “I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry.” And then stop talking and start listening. Be present for them. Hold their hand. Don’t interrupt when they speak. Pray for them. Bring them comfort food and drink. And when the Lord moves you to speak, offer them words that come from Him.
PRAYER: Dear Father, teach us to comfort others with Your agape love. For love listens before speaking and love gives without being asked. Thank You Lord that whatever comfort we have for others is comfort You have given us when we have suffered. Give us wisdom and power to pour out that same comfort, knowing that You always give us extra comfort for others. And Lord, please don’t let us be like Job’s friends. Help us to be like Jesus, In His name we pray, amen.
From: August 26, 2022
WHY DO GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD PEOPLE?
Job’s friends kept challenging him to repent because their faulty assumption was that since evil had befallen Job, he must have done something to deserve it. After all, bad things had happened to Job, so he must’ve done something bad. Yet, Job continued to claim that God had done him an injustice. He also questioned their hypothesis further, by asking why God would let the “wicked live and become old” and “mighty in power.”
Job and his friends were wrestling with the problem of evil. Why do bad people get to enjoy good things? And why do bad things happen to good people? Where is God’s justice? Job is not the only person to ask these questions. We still struggle with them today.
Perhaps we can catch a glimpse of understanding by hearing what Jesus said about this in the gospel of Matthew. He said that the Father “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45).
The truth is that God shines His grace on all of us, just and unjust. Without God’s grace, no one could stand. For no one is justified apart from God’s grace. Besides, the whole idea of who is good and bad is fallacious. For all have sinned. And sin has infected God’s good creation, so that both good and bad things happen in this fallen world.
Christ has died for our sins and been raised to life for our justification, so that we might believe and receive abundant and eternal life. This grace is available to all who place their faith in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we often struggle in our thinking, wondering why something bad has happened to us. Or wondering why something good has happened to someone else. But we confess that our sense of justice is flawed and we are often blind to our own faults. We leave judgment to You, O Lord. For You are wise and Your judgments are perfect. We are thankful that You have counted us just because of our faith in Jesus. So we place our hope in Him. Help us to be faithful in all things, knowing that You are in charge of our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 26, 2017
The Hebrew is literally, “The rich and poor meet…” What does this “meeting” imply? Perhaps it points to the human tendency to focus on the externals, such as wealth and material things, that often cause the rich and the poor to clash. Or perhaps it is an observation that the rich and the poor need one another. However, I like the idea that it points to the great leveling of the gospel that invites all to come to the cross on equal terms, namely, through repentance of the sin that besets rich and poor alike, and believing in Christ as the only means of salvation. It is this gospel that allows the poor to boast in their “exaltation,” and the rich in their “humiliation” (James 1:9-11). The ground is level at the cross. All who approach will recognize their common need. All who receive must recognize their common Lord, who is the Maker and Savior of us all.
From: August 26, 2016
Paul requested that the Corinthian church be in prayer for him and his fellow ministers of the gospel. This was a request for corporate prayers, which he called real “help.” The modern church often overlooks the help that is found in prayer, especially the combined and unified prayers of the many. Do you need help today? Ask the saints of God to join together to pray on your behalf.
From: August 26, 2015
Job’s friends kept challenging him to repent because their simplistic assumption was that since evil had befallen Job, he must have done something to deserve it. Yet, Job continued to claim that God had done him an injustice. He also questioned their hypothesis further, by asking why God would let the “wicked live and become old” and “mighty in power.” Job was wrestling with the problem of evil. Why do bad people get to enjoy good things? And why do bad things happen to good people? Where is God’s justice? Job is not the only person to ask these questions. We still struggle with them today. Perhaps we can catch a glimpse of understanding by hearing what Jesus said about this in the gospel of Matthew. He said that the Father “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). The truth is that God sheds His grace on all of us, even those who have made Him their enemy. Yet, someday an account will be given. And only those found in Christ Jesus will be saved.