Does your whole life and outlook radiate with hope?
Our Lord, through Paul, sets forth this worthy goal for us with full confidence that it is, with the help of the Holy Spirit, eminently achievable. As followers of Christ, dare we say no? – Luther
“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings — what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. . . But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:10-11,14-15, NIV)
In these, Paul’s final words to his protege Timothy, we have the commendation of a holy life to another person walking the same path.
What will we “senior” disciples commend to those coming behind us? Does our lifestyle, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, and our personal testimony of the Lord’s deliverance from perils give them courage and hope in their time of testing?
A benefit of our pain and suffering is our testimony of God’s faithfulness through all of it. When those who know us best look at our life, do they see a faithful God and an unyielding hope; or is it something less? – Luther
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, NIV)
Dying is a part of living.
Any religion that does not address this inevitable fact of life is not worth following.
As disciples of Jesus, we have God’s instruction about how to face death and dying: Not as those who have no hope. Our hope for what occurs after we die is based on what Jesus has already done. He has conquered death, hell, and the grave by His resurrection.
Therefore, believing that God is good to His word, we grieve only the temporary absence of those who have died trusting in Christ, because the loss is not eternal. Take heart in this promise from our heavenly Father. – Luther
Daily Encouragement 