Affliction for a Moment—Glory with God for Eternity
“For our
(2 Corinthians 4: 17 NASB)
momentary,
light
affliction
is producing
for us an
eternal
weight
of glory
far beyond
all comparison.“
Consider for a time the people we will encounter today. While this day may still be early, and maybe we are drinking our first cup of coffee, not even at all prepared to face the world, it will serve us well to consider for a time—the people—we will encounter today.
There are surely NO ordinary people in God’s eyes!
Yes, that is 100% true, and we know it is totally true because each person alive has been created by an Amazing Creator who placed within each person an innate desire to come to know Him intimately. So, how can a person whose inner being has a desire to know God be anything but EXTRA—ORDINARY!
A person cannot.
Therefore, because our first command is that we are to Love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength, then we must also focus upon our second command that is like the first, in that we are to love our neighbor as much as we love our own flesh and blood.
- Love the person across the street—the same as we love the person we see each morning in the mirror.
- Love the person making an obscene jester to us as we drive by—the same as we love ourself.
- Love the student who just does not seem to care about anyone or anything—the same as we love the person who stares back at us in the mirror.
- Love the spouse across the dinner table, the same spouse who may have just retorted words in anger—the same as we love our own flesh.
- Love the child who willingly looks us in the eye and then willfully disobeys us directly in our face—the same as we love the child we used to be
- Love the homeless man we pass on the street corner, the one holding a sign: “Hungry. Please Give”—the same as we love the hungry person we are each day.
- Love for the lost ones, for those who proclaim loudly: “There is no God!”—the same as we love the lost person we used to be.
- Love the person who passes by us on the sidewalk, the one who seems slightly deranged or high on drugs or even full of rage—the same as we love our own brothers and sisters.
- Love the person who we do not even know, the one who lives halfway around the world from us, the one who barely has food to eat—the same as we love our own person.
- Love the person who we encounter today, the one who has not heard about the love of Jesus—the same as we love the person we were before we knew how Jesus loves us.
- Love every person we encounter this day—the same as we love the person we see each morning in the mirror.
- Then tomorrow when we prepare our coffee and we are sitting down with our Bible to read, let us remember even then how we are to LOVE GOD FIRST & FOREMOST.
- THEN LOVE EVERY PERSON WE MEET—the same as we love the person we see each morning in the mirror.
It is a truth, most everyone faces “momentary, light affliction” as they journey through this thing we call life. People face all types of afflictions:
BODILY ACHES & PAINS.
STRESS ON THE JOB.
ANGUISH IN THE HOME.
EMOTIONAL DISTRESS.
MARITAL STRESS.
ENEMY RETALIATION.
CANCER OR DISEASE.
PSYCHOLOGICAL ANXIETY.
SOCIETY WOES.
THREATS OF WARS.
THREATS UPON OUR LIVES BECAUSE OF OUR WITNESS.
WEATHER-RELATED MISERY, . . .
TRULY, THE LIST CONTINUES ON & ON.
The Lost One who is far from God suffers in the weight of “momentary, light affliction.”
As a child of God, we do too.
BUT GOD—
The Apostle Paul writes these words given to him by the Holy Spirit to remind the saints saved by the Grace of God from Whom our HOPE comes and to encourage us, and even to prepare us for our future promise.
Let us read (again) and allow ourselves to be reminded, encouraged, and prepared.
“For our—Life, this side of heaven is, well it is just sometimes tough to live.
momentary,—NOT long-lasting! That’s so important to remember.
Light—As in the opposite of heavy. Jesus Himself said “My burden is light” to encourage us.
Affliction—That which seems to stumble us, to cause us pain, to humble us, & to even discourage us.
is producing—That’s right, our affliction is allowed for a reason; there is something it is creating.
for us—Notice how affliction is given to all (us). No one is exempt.
an Eternal—Right here is where the apostle helps us see God.
Weight—We carry a “momentary, light affliction,”
BUT GOD has prepared for us an “eternal weight of glory. . .”
of glory—Eternity with God! Can we imagine it—see it—believe it!
far beyond—This eternity with God supersedes anything we can ever imagine, and in our HOPE, we are asked to wait for it comes to us at God’s timing.
all comparison.“ —Truly, there is no amount of affliction here on earth that will ever compare to our eternity shared in the presence of our Savior & Lord Jesus Christ!
(2 Corinthians 4: 17 NASB)
Therefore, let us live on purpose—God’s Purpose!
Allow ourselves to become less focused upon our own concerns as we see the afflicted world surrounding us—God Created All!
Let us—Love People As Jesus Loved People!
Might we persevere in prayer—Without Ceasing!
Quite assuredly, even during our affliction—We must wait upon the Lord’s timing for EVERYTHING!
“For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. . .
(Romans 8: 18 & 24-28 NASB)
For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope;
for who hopes for what he already sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see,
through perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good
to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose.”
YES!
May we remember THIS day— Affliction is but for a Moment, a Day, a Season; however,
God’s Amazing Glory Will Remain for Eternity!