Remember Jesus Christ

This year, I learned to love Jesus more by remembering his death and resurrection. My mom – who served God faithfully for decades, leading countless to Christ – died suddenly in India after a brief battle with COVID-19, on May 3, 2021. My mom’s passing came less than eighteen months after the death of my father. The grief was multiplied since we could not be present during the last moments of her life. I had to watch her burial over Zoom. Ten days later, we also lost our adopted sister to the ravages of COVID-19. Suddenly, I was living in a major personal crisis. The pandemic had already claimed a dear friend and many acquaintances. I was on shaky ground. My heart was filled with sorrow, doubt, and the deepest grief.

Paul’s words were a balm to my soul. At the end of his life, he wrote to his protégé Timothy, telling him to remember Jesus and the gospel for which he was suffering.

Even as I experienced the great loss of my mom, I found comfort and solace in remembering Jesus Christ. The questions are many. They often go unanswered. But amid our suffering, we remember Jesus. We remember that he suffered, too – and he promised to be present with us. 

Apart from my own grief, our country and the world at large were in turmoil. What are we to do in times like these? The temptation, maybe, is to find potential solutions in politics or engaging in the culture wars that rage in our society. But Paul exhorted Timothy – and, by extension, the church – to remember Jesus Christ, who is our hope and ultimate example. Paul does not let the very real fears and dangers of this world define the narrative. He clarifies the gospel for Timothy and for us: Jesus Christ raised from the dead and descended from David. The gospel is not divided on the basis of race, denomination, dogma, societal status, gender, or any other line of demarcation. This is the gospel for which Paul suffered untold losses, including being chained in the gallows like a criminal. We are called to be ready to do the same, rather than fight for our rights or privileges. This gospel, as it has done for centuries, cannot be chained, and will not be chained. We have the great privilege to be the heralds of this unchained gospel. 

As I wake up each day, I still feel the pangs of great grief and sorrow. However, the Holy Spirit strengthens me as I remember Jesus Christ, his death, and his resurrection. It is a daily choice amid my continued grief. God’s Word is not chained. And neither am I.

Key Quotation

Remembering Jesus Christ, his suffering, and his promised presence in the middle of our suffering is proving to be the gateway towards a renewed heart and mind.

Question

What are the obstacles that keep you from remembering Jesus Christ and living out his gospel?

Denny Mathews, Open Eyes