1 Peter 4:19 So
then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to
their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (NIV)
The First Christians must
have been a very strong, faithful generation. They persevered through times of
unjust persecution and cruel suffering in order to maintain the Church. We are
the heirs of their endurance, but are we worthy of such a blessing?
When I read of Christians
supposedly being persecuted in our country, I know it is exaggerated. We
complain vehemently when we are challenged or inconvenienced because some of us
aggressively want things to happen according to our beliefs, our standing, and
in our time. It makes me wonder if the First Christians are looking down on us
from Heaven and shaking their heads. They would consider our complaints paltry
compared to what they had to endure.
Faith, during truly hard times,
can comfort us but it was and is never meant to make us comfortable. As C. S.
Lewis once wrote: “I didn't go to religion to make me happy. I
always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to
make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don't recommend Christianity.”
Application: How
uncomfortable is my faith?
Prayer: Lord Jesus,
teach us the truth about ourselves and make us more aware of the hardships that
having faith implies. Keep us from complaining about trivial things and constantly
remind us of the sacrifices and suffering of Your people in the past. In your
Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin
Presbyterian Church in Knoxville,
Tennessee. Come and join us for worship each Sunday at 11:00 AM. You will be
made very welcome 😊
Today’s image is one of
John’s drawings based on Christ’s teaching. If you would like to view a larger
version, please click this link: Cross.
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