JESUS, THROUGH THICK AND THIN

Christians in the United States have more freedom as Christians than any other country in the world.  Certainly we have enemies. I guess Christians will always have enemies, but on the whole those who are not Christian tolerate us, even if they find us laughable.  They say, How can anyone believe in that old fairytale? Non-believers make gestures as if they are hanging on a cross, or make the sign of the cross across their chests, or piously bow their heads and fold their hands. Hurtful?  Yes.  But a Christian perseveres and prays that God will forgive "for they know not what they do."

Jesus probably knew in His heart that the day would come when His disciples would struggle with hate and violence.  And that is why he warned them.  Matthew 10:38,39 quotes Jesus saying, "If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me.  If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself.  But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me."

Peter, if you remember, for all his certainty for his loyalty, denied the Lord three times before morning on the night Jesus was betrayed.  How can we be assured we will not betray Him, too?

This quote of Jesus' may just be a safety net for us in these latter years. The latter days follow the Kingdom days and it is unknown to us when these days will occur.  For all we know we may be about there right now or very soon. We are told in the Revelation of John that Christians will be sorely threatened.  Satan will take control for awhile.  We will be asked to mark ourselves with a tattoo of sorts in order to buy bread and other necessities, and those that do not have the mark of Satan will be killed.  Yet, Jesus said,  "If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me." Oh, I so much want to go all the way with Jesus!

How can we ever know how we each would react under circumstances of hateful violence against God's people? We do not; we can only pray that should it come in our lifetime, our foreheads will be clear and unmarked and we will be so filled with the Spirit of our Lord Christ that His Spirit would be visible to all we meet!  Forgetting the consequences, we would be free of fear, knowing that we are God's now and always, and ready to meet with Him...no matter what!

Lord, I want to love and obey you, through thick and thin.  And I desire for your Spirit to be     visible  in me...always.  Amen     

Reader, do you feel this way, too?

Yours in peace or otherwise.......Jo