Lent: With One VoiceSample

THE WAY OF SUFFERING

I remember when I had to spend a night in the hospital with my 4 year-old hyperactive son who had a life-threatening asthma attack. I had a conference to lead the next day and wanted to sleep, but my son was beyond restless, with bouts of climbing out of bed, jumping around, demanding a drink, screaming or trying to remove his IV. I remember praying to God to let this night end and grant me sleep. Instead of working that miracle, I was reminded of this passage and the need to ‘lose my life’ for the sake of my sick son in crisis. I got through the night, a miserable one for me, but a good one for my precious son.
I suffered while his suffering was eased. That night ‘against all hope, in hope,’ I believed (not as fully as Abraham) in the righteousness I yearn for in my character. That is the way of Christ!

FOR REFLECTION
• Is there an area of your life in which you are suffering or may need to take on suffering for the good of someone else? Can you ask God to assist you to carry that ‘cross’ as needed?
• Have you lost hope in some situation or in yourself and desire to hope again?
• Today talk with God, asking Him to help you hope against hope because of the reality and the power of Christ.

PRAYER
God, thank You for granting the source of righteousness to me personally through my faith in Jesus and His powerful resurrection, which has delivered me from my sinful nature. I commit myself to live this day in ways that will bring honour to the name of Christ, in the hope that You will be glorified.