A glorious love story’s chapter

A sweet medical helper tried to encourage me, “Your story isn’t over yet. This is just a chapter.” Amazingly, this world has invented positive thinking “mantras,” faintly shadowing Biblical truth.

With each chapter of ongoing suffering’s ebb and flow of hardships, a Christian’s story isn’t over yet!

Why?

Because our story is enveloped entirely in God’s glorious love story for His beloved in Christ. 

And we know the final chapter!

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 

For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:50-55 ESV)

Beloved in Christ, let’s both cling to this hope, while living in God’s glorious love story’s current chapter…that includes our suffering right now.

Because our Father is right now unfolding our stories,

with every paragraph taking us to that glorious end!

He is renewing and preparing me and you, cared for continually by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27)!

“Worthy the Lamb,” shall be my song,

“For he for me was slain;”

And with me all the heavenly throng

Shall join, and say, “Amen.”

(“Christ the Hope of Glory,” Gadsby, W., p.d.)

A chapter of suffering, a chapter of hope in our Lord’s glorious love story

Precious one, God has so often pulled me out of some dejected moping when this long chapter feels like nothing but “hoping” for it to end. Not true! As I lament to Him, He keeps nudging me to remember our purpose and reason for this earthly life. It’s something far grander than just sitting on pause, waiting for a “yes” answer for this chapter of our suffering to finish, even as we pray for it. He’s keeping both of us alive for something glorious…right now!

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the LORD;
    he is our help and our shield (Ps. 33:18-20 ESV).

As through the wilderness I roam,

His mercies I’ll proclaim;

And when I safely reach my home,

I’ll still adore his name.

From moping to hoping: God’s glorious love story’s chapter of grace-filled dependence on our Lord

The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down (Ps. 145:14 ESV).

Jesus, the Lord, my Saviour is,

My Shepherd, and my God;

My light, my strength, my joy, my bliss;

And I his grace record.

Whate’er I need in Jesus dwells,

And there it dwells for me;

’Tis Christ my earthen vessel fills

With treasures rich and free.

From coping to hoping: God’s glorious love story’s chapter of growing in grace

Mercy and truth and righteousness,

And peace, most richly meet

In Jesus Christ, the King of grace,

In whom I stand complete.

God’s glorious love story’s chapter of suffering, sharing hope within?

What’s your story? Are you being put into situations around others in your suffering situation too? Like waiting rooms?

In His perfect plan for our lives, He woke us both up today for His kingdom reason! Could this be part of His purpose for us in this difficult chapter?

Today is never a given or an assumption. Have you noticed this is terrifying to many people? With every natural disaster, calamity, war, and rumor of war, anxiety rises.

Rightly so, for if they don’t understand God’s glorious love story for us in Christ, fear of death looms. If they don’t know that our inborn sin and inability to perfectly obey God prevents our entry to heaven, their story may have a shocking ending one day. If they don’t yet believe in Jesus Christ, Who literally exchanged His perfect obedience for our sin, His righteousness now ours in the deep and steadfast love of our Father, their story won’t end as ours will. 

Yet, He tells us: 

It’s all something amazing to share “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14), for we don’t know what’s next, around the corner in the journey He’s planned for us. Or someone else.

I wonder…how might you share the glorious love story of Jesus with someone today, as you suffer? How might sharing the gospel be His gift of purpose, hope, joy, love…in the midst of this suffering chapter? Let’s both ask Him!

Material adapted from Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2022

A playlist of God’s glorious love story, to sing to Him FOR hope

Today marks 16 months since my lifesaving brain surgery. It’s been His beautiful upholding grace to give me words and songs to share with you while in neuro rehab and chronic pain. The Scriptural playlist gifts have used my professional music therapy background, as God’s helpful healing tool. Coping? Sure! But also it’s been FOR much hoping! It’s all been helping to remove my moping! Glory to our compassionate Lord of love!

This week’s playlist gift focuses on His glorious love story for us in Christ Jesus, one of complete hope…music we can have playing around others who don’t know Him. Who knows? Could it spark a conversation about His love story, amid our suffering?

If it would bless you to receive weekly YouTube playlists with prayer from a sister in Christ who understands, sign up here, and it will come to your email. 

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