Friday, March 11, 2016
Luke 13:35 "Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
LOVE THAT INSTILLS HOPE
In this verse we see Christ's love in the hope He extends to the faithful. After expressing sorrow over the unbelief of Jerusalem's inhabitants, He foretells something wonderful. He looks to the future and sees how many will come to recognize Him as their Redeemer. He sees those cut to the heart on Pentecost (for their crime of crucifying God's Son) who will heed Peter's message: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins." He sees Saul the persecutor being converted by the Spirit's power into Paul the missionary. He sees John Newton, author of "Amazing Grace" (who during his early life was an infidel) becoming a Christian and making the confession on his death-bed: "My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior."
We're also among that blessed number whom Jesus rejoiced to see. Through faith in His blood we too have come to enjoy the blessing of His forgiveness and a peace-full relationship with God. We believe He'll lead us safely through our lives here. We look to a future so wonderful that we can't wrap our brains around it for its beauty. Do we suffer pain now? Then there will be no pain. Do ywe shed tears now? Then there will be no crying. Does the thought of death unsettle us now? Then there be no death. Are we buffeted by temptation now? Then there will be no devil-lion prowling to hurt us, no godless world seeking to bewitch us.
Let the short-sighted people of the world limit themselves to this present earthly sphere, foolishly by-passing the treasures of Christ. We shall lift up our eyes unto the hills from whence cometh our help. We shall set our hearts on things above where Christ is and we shall be. We shall endeavor, by the Spirit's working, to live for Him who has shown us amazing grace, until the Day we see Him and say: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
