Thought for the Week

I am not sure where this ‘Thought’ will lead but hopefully it will be an encouragement. Several Scriptures and Biblical characters are circulating in my thoughts. Job said, “Though He(God) slay me, yet will I trust Him.”(Job 13:15) He also proposed that even after his body was decayed, “I know that in my flesh, I shall see God.”(Job 19:26) David said, “Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou(God) art with me.”(Psalm 23:4-5) Abraham was called upon(by God) to offer, as a sacrifice, his teen-aged ‘Son of the Promise’. Though he fully intended to kill Isaac, he told his servants, “We will return to you.”(Genesis 22:5) And he answered Isaac when asked ‘…where is the sacrifice?’, “God Himself will provide the sacrifice.”(Genesis 22:8) Now, these may seem unrelated but I want to propose these men all had a level of trust in God that rose above and beyond death and the grave. The background for them: In a matter of a few hours, Job had lost his immense wealth, almost his entire family, and his good health. But in spite of this, Job refused to give up his unwavering trust in God. David was fleeing from the murderous wrath of King Saul. It seemed almost every man had turned away from him. There was no human help available to him, so he seemed to be facing certain death. Yet he clung to his trust that God would exonerate him and one day put him on the throne of Israel. Abraham had waited one hundred years for God to fulfill His promise and give Abraham a son, but now, God was asking Abraham to sacrifice this son. Could Isaac ever be replaced? Sisters Martha and Mary had a brother, Lazarus, who had a deadly illness. They sent for Jesus but He seemed in no hurry to respond to their desperation. We humans, including Christians, stagger with the fear of death. It seems so final, irreversible, and hopeless to us. We say, with strong Scriptural support, “God can do anything.” “Nothing is impossible for God.” “Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life…” But when fatal illness, encroaches on our lives, we face a test of our trust. It is a terrifying test. We may quote or hear quoted, “God is able to work all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.”(Romans 8:28) It is not surprising, nor wrong, that we struggle with death. Even Jesus, on the night of His betrayal, prayed, in agony enough to sweat ‘great drops of blood’, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” But He overcame his morality by also praying, “ot m will but Thy will be done.” With Scriptural foundation, we can say, “The last enemy to be overcome is death.” A father with a desperate need, pled with Jesus, “Lord, I believe, help Thou my unbelief.”(St. Mark 9:24) Scripture lists at least six people who were raised from But there is a much broader statement, that all shall be raised from the dead to face judgment. Those who trust God/Christ to everlasting life. Those who reject God/Christ to face condemnation. Faith/Trust in God is the hope of the ages and we may rest assured that God can be trusted absolutely.

Scriptures to Read

Job 13:15 & 19:26

Psalm 23:1-6

Genesis 22:1-5

Genesis 22:6-18

St. John 11:1-16

St. John 11:17-32

St. John 11:33-44