If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you
belonged to the world, it would love you as its own… All this I have told you
so that you will not go astray…I have told you this, so that when the time
comes you will remember that I warned you…
John 15:18, 16:1, 4
Sometimes in reading the Bible we can be
guilty of a shallow focus. We may be inspired by the emotionally stirring words
or beautiful poetry of a particular verse or passage. But if we never go any
deeper than what we find appealing for today, we will risk turning God’s
plumb-line for eternal truth into a Hallmark card. And we know what happens to
Hallmark cards: at best, they are put away in a drawer to be retrieved in a
sentimental moment. At worst, they are read, displayed on the mantel for a few
days and tossed in the trash.
Actually, something like this happened with
the disciples. They had been present with Jesus throughout His ministry,
witnessed the miracles, and heard His words. Convinced by the growing crowd size,
they came to believe that He who would restore Israel’s former power and they,
as His disciples, would enjoy positions of authority in His kingdom (Mark
10:35). Now, after the triumph of Palm Sunday and the intimate fellowship of
the Passover meal, Jesus has something to tell them: He is going away, the
kingdom of Israel’s former glory would not be restored at the present time and,
as His followers, they needed to prepare themselves for persecution from His
enemies.
Needless to say, they weren’t pleased with
the exchange. The sermons, the promises, their new, expanded view of reality
were –they had thought—intended for their best life now in a soon-to-be
Messianic kingdom, not as needed preparation for tough times ahead.
If this devotion has a theme, I propose
filing it under “confusion and disappointment.” (If you feel either in five
days, I guess I have done my job!) The truth is that life deals us both on a
frequent basis. Our knee-jerk reaction is to smooth out the wrinkles and tuck
in the corners so that things can get back to normal. But sometimes, God’s
purpose in our situation is so life-changing and soul-enlarging that smoothing
and tucking don’t make a dent. All we can do is hold tight to Him.
Nancy Shirah
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