Yes! There is Good News!! March 3, 2018

We pick up where we left off in our previous article. And as I have pondered this topic of “trouble” over the past week, into my thoughts came one of God’s servants, our dear brother, the servant of God, the Apostle Paul. Listen, if you will, to his litany of troubles: “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, and I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have been cold and naked. Beside everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:23-28)

Okay, so I do not really have any troubles!!

The Bible teaches us that we should not compare ourselves one to another. If we feel the need to compare ourselves to anyone, it must be to our Savior, Jesus Christ, who was, “… despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him and by His wounds we are healed. … And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth, He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.” (Isaiah 53:3-7)

Maybe it’s a good time to consider how good we really have it. Two men, Paul and Jesus, suffered greatly on our account. One, Paul, desired so much to bring the good news to all men and we have his example, his testimony and his teachings in our Bibles; Bibles that have been purchased by us for the equivalence of one or two hour’s wage. The other, Jesus: He not only brought the good news; He was the good news. I guess, with spring approaching, it is a good time to ponder the sacrifice that our Savior made for us.

Until next time, let us rejoice and not be troubled by the things of this world. Jesus said, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:53)