{Enjoyed reading Pastor Coty's weekly devotion this week. Hope it will encourage your heart as well}
On Monday morning, Peg gave birth to Karis. After nine months of pregnancy, after thirty hours of labor, after missing two nights of sleep, after stress and sweat and hard work, a new little girl came into the world. Peg and Joshua rejoiced to hold their baby, their precious daughter. They had joy in abundance.
Imagine yourself - as well as you can! - in Peg's position after 28 hours of labor. What are your thoughts? What are your doubts? Perhaps, "Will this baby ever come?" "Can I really do this?" "O God, I wish this were over!"
On the night before the crucifixion, shortly before His betrayal and arrest, Jesus says these words:
When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. (John 16:21)
Jesus speaks specifically about the sorrow His disciples will feel upon His death, prior to the resurrection. But the same idea applies to Jesus' sorrow and trials over the final hours of His life, as well as our pain and suffering in this present age, until He comes again.
Indeed, Jesus' concluding words to His disciples this evening echo these thoughts:
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
The word translated "tribulation" in verse 33 is the same word translated "anguish" in verse 21. (Some translations render both occurrences with the same English word; for example, the Holman Christian Standard Bible uses "suffering" in both cases.)
Consider your sufferings, your trials, your pain, your tribulation in this light. Jesus tells us all this - including telling us that we will suffer in this life - so that we might have peace now. After 28 hours of labor, Peg knew her baby would be born, despite all the irrational doubts that so persistently arise. She had to fight off those doubts, to trust what she knew, to trust those around her, to believe that the birth was progressing and that soon she would hold her little one. Through that fight, through that faith, she could have peace in the midst of trial.
Our Savior tells us: "I have overcome the world. I am the Conqueror. The price is paid; there is no condemnation for those who are in Me, for those who have faith that I am He. All that you suffer, all the trials you bear - as huge as they appear and as evil as they may be - I have redeemed. I will return; and after that return, all those pains will be like Peg's trials in childbirth: Fading to insignificance because of the joy of My presence, the joy of the new heavens and the new earth. So take heart! Rejoice in Me always! This light, momentary affliction is preparing an eternal weight of glory! I have indeed overcome the world!"
Father, thank You for sending Your Son to conquer all evil, all opposition. Thank you that in the new heavens and new earth which You are creating, every knee will rightfully bow and every tongue will joyously proclaim that Jesus is Lord to Your glory and praise. Thank You that You give us peace even now, in the midst of tribulation and anguish. May we rejoice in You always, knowing that a birthing process is painful, but the birth is well worth it - that in the midst of the anguish the baby can seem distant and never-coming, but once that child is born, the question, "Was it worth it?" is ridiculous.
On Monday morning, Peg gave birth to Karis. After nine months of pregnancy, after thirty hours of labor, after missing two nights of sleep, after stress and sweat and hard work, a new little girl came into the world. Peg and Joshua rejoiced to hold their baby, their precious daughter. They had joy in abundance.
Imagine yourself - as well as you can! - in Peg's position after 28 hours of labor. What are your thoughts? What are your doubts? Perhaps, "Will this baby ever come?" "Can I really do this?" "O God, I wish this were over!"
On the night before the crucifixion, shortly before His betrayal and arrest, Jesus says these words:
When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. (John 16:21)
Jesus speaks specifically about the sorrow His disciples will feel upon His death, prior to the resurrection. But the same idea applies to Jesus' sorrow and trials over the final hours of His life, as well as our pain and suffering in this present age, until He comes again.
Indeed, Jesus' concluding words to His disciples this evening echo these thoughts:
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
The word translated "tribulation" in verse 33 is the same word translated "anguish" in verse 21. (Some translations render both occurrences with the same English word; for example, the Holman Christian Standard Bible uses "suffering" in both cases.)
Consider your sufferings, your trials, your pain, your tribulation in this light. Jesus tells us all this - including telling us that we will suffer in this life - so that we might have peace now. After 28 hours of labor, Peg knew her baby would be born, despite all the irrational doubts that so persistently arise. She had to fight off those doubts, to trust what she knew, to trust those around her, to believe that the birth was progressing and that soon she would hold her little one. Through that fight, through that faith, she could have peace in the midst of trial.
Our Savior tells us: "I have overcome the world. I am the Conqueror. The price is paid; there is no condemnation for those who are in Me, for those who have faith that I am He. All that you suffer, all the trials you bear - as huge as they appear and as evil as they may be - I have redeemed. I will return; and after that return, all those pains will be like Peg's trials in childbirth: Fading to insignificance because of the joy of My presence, the joy of the new heavens and the new earth. So take heart! Rejoice in Me always! This light, momentary affliction is preparing an eternal weight of glory! I have indeed overcome the world!"
Father, thank You for sending Your Son to conquer all evil, all opposition. Thank you that in the new heavens and new earth which You are creating, every knee will rightfully bow and every tongue will joyously proclaim that Jesus is Lord to Your glory and praise. Thank You that You give us peace even now, in the midst of tribulation and anguish. May we rejoice in You always, knowing that a birthing process is painful, but the birth is well worth it - that in the midst of the anguish the baby can seem distant and never-coming, but once that child is born, the question, "Was it worth it?" is ridiculous.
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