Take heart....this is not the end

Whats your month been like? Mine has been difficult on an exceptional level. Every day, every minute, every second, we are in a battle for our lives, our passions, for our calling. Often when time are sweet, rich, and filled with relatively low strife, we oft forget to be prepared in the spirit for trials and difficult times. We are then blindsided, and begin lamenting, crying out in agony, "Lord, WHY?!"

The sermon this afternoon at the church I attend today made me stop and reminded me of something very important. This life, with all of its ups and downs, tears, pain and brokenness is temporal. This is not the end.

Does this make everything better, shiny, and less painful. Honestly? Yes and no. I say no, because in the in between, we will experience days where we are aching in our chests over the loss, or the missing, of a loved one; a job that fell through; past regrets. We may be lucky to have good days, and bad days. Days of clarity and hope, but there will be seasons where we have days of breathless pain, and days where we just want to curl into a ball, and weep bitterly, or run, as far and as fast as we can from the problems, and trials we face; we have to give that up.

I will be the first to admit to you, that I am rubbish at staying in the Word, or studying the bible. Yes, I have a theology degree. Yes I serve in a ministry setting. But do I have to most robust devotional life? No, far from it. Its rather early in the morning as I write this. Just after 3:30 in the morning to be precise. These days, sleep doesn't come easy, and social media is exceptionally boring when no one is available. But instead of me rambling about how social media is a poor replacement for authentic, intentional (whatever that means) community, or interaction with a living, breathing person…I'll cut to the chase.

There is a reminder given to us, that at least for me tonight, gives me great comfort. I was searching for a verse that matched a song I was listening to, because I couldn't remember where it was in the Word. I eventually found it, but was amazed by the context of the passage.

Get cozy,and lets get into this. Read John 16. Quietly to your self, then aloud.

This chapter is part of what some outlines of this Gospel letter, call the Farewell Discourse (13.1-20.31). In it, Christ is instructing the Disciples and this new community before he departs from them, to fulfill his place on the Cross, redeeming us and offering us a place, beside him in eternity future.

There are three promises that I see in this chapter, and the final that seals the deal.

As I mentioned, this is part of Christ's final instruction before he leaves. You can imagine being one of the disciples and hearing your Rabbi, your teacher, your Lord say that after all this time together he is leaving and you cant come with him. I would be crushed. 'What? Your leaving? Was it something we said or did?'

And here comes the first promise. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you…"(16.5-15) Christ promises the arrival of the Holy Spirit. What great joy, what blessed hope that truly is. I wont say much more on that for now, other than reflect for a moment on how the Spirit of the Lord has interacted with you in your life. Just wow.

The Disciples are loosing their grip on reality at this point, they are filled with such profound sadness. Read a little further and you find the second promise. "A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but…" Read this next bit again and again. Carefully and slowly. Your sorrow will turn to joy.

Christ end this chapter with a haymaker. An explicit reminder, a promise, that takes me to my knees before the throne. No matter how deep of a slump we may be in, no matter how dire the situation may be, no matter how much we hurt and feel like we cant breathe because of the pain of loss, dear brothers and sisters we must not forget Christ's words here. "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

I still hurt tonight. But knowing that the One who was before the dawn of time, has got my back, and has already defeated my trials, is waiting for me on the other side, already knowing and seeing the results of overcoming the world, in my life, and in yours, brings me great comfort.


"Grant unto us, Almighty God, in all time of sore distress, the comfort of the forgiveness of our sins. In time of darkness give us blessed hope, in time of sickness of body give us quiet courage; and when the heart is bowed down, and the soul is very heavy, and life is a burden, and pleasure a weariness, and the sun is too bright, and life too mirthful, then may that Spirit, the Spirit of the Comforter, come upon us, and after our darkness may there be the clear shining of the heavenly light; that so, being uplifted again by Thy mercy, we may pass on through this our mortal life with quiet courage, patient hope, and unshaken trust, hoping through Thy loving-kindness and tender mercy to be delivered from death into the large life of the eternal years. Hear us of Thy mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord – Amen."--- George Dawson


Go under the mercy, sleep under the protection my friends.
~T. Austin