The One you Love …. For the Glory of God

Lord, the one You love has a birthday

Lord, the one You love is sick,

Lord, the one You love is depressed,

Lord, the one You love has lost his job,

Lord, the one You love is at her wit’s end with these children,

Lord, the one You love feels trapped in the boring details of life,

Lord, the one You love has no idea how to deal with a rebellious teenager.

“In John 11, Jesus makes the reason for His delay quite plain: it is so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. Here is another truth that is easy for us to gloss over. Upon deeper thought we realize it can be a hard and bitter truth, a severe mercy, to realize God in His providence may allow great pain and loss for His own glory. Severe in its pain, but merciful, because through it we see the glory of God.” —Lisa Spence

Athletes often repeat the expression, “No Pain, No Gain.” This secular expression acknowledges, from a biblical perspective, that strength comes through weakness (2 Cor. 12:8-10, regarding Paul’s experience); character is forged in the heat of stress; wisdom is gained through our dilemmas; resurrection must be preceded by the pain of death. God’s mercy comes with a great cost; but there is a cost for us, too: “Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone.” (John 12:24)

Out of the mouth of Caiaphas (one of the wicked “lions” (Prov. 28:15) that ruled the Jewish Sanhedrin) comes a bitter-sweet statement, like the taste of honey: “But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”” (John 11:49)

A God Who is “rich in mercy” freely gives from the storehouse of heaven its greatest treasure: Mercy is given, but, oh, at what great cost! His Son! My gain is heaven’s loss! What a “severe mercy” on God’s behalf to us!

      We tend to look at suffering like we are being cursed rather than blessed. Whether that suffering is a curse, or a blessing depends so much on our ability to see and appreciate the outcome. Jesus said, “I am glad that Lazarus is dead.” Without our knowing the outcome, Jesus’ statement seems harsh and uncaring indeed! But the joy of Lazarus’ resurrection is preceded by his pain of death. So too, the joy of a spiritual inheritance (as John explains in the verses following) would not come with-out great cost: “…and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.” My salvation is free, but it did not come cheap! Jesus paid it all!

 Jim B

     ‘ 47 ‘/ ’56  St Charles MN