Life doesn’t always play fair.
Sometimes it robs us of those we love. It could be the death of a close relative, spouse, or friend, or a marriage that ends in divorce; either way, life can be very painful.
I’ve known parents who have had to watch helplessly as their child silently passed into the next world. I’ve been with people whose child had to be incarcerated. And I’ve seen wonderfully bright young men and women become addicted to various and sundry drugs, thus forfeiting their hope-filled future for a life of shame, degradation, and ruin.
Life just isn’t always fair!
Yet you and I are not the only ones who have ever had to try and navigate through tough periods of life. That may not make you feel any better about what you’re going through, but it just may provide a little bit of hope to grab hold of.
For instance, life happened to Adam and Eve. What do I mean when I say, “life happened”? I mean, normal things, everyday things; things such as temptation, trouble, and tragedy. Things which can take place because we live in an imperfect world, in bodies that wear down, and in the same world with the master deceiver, tormenter, and murderer – satan.
Adam and Eve were minding their own business when life happened. They weren’t ready for it, and lost the battle before it really got started. Life happened, and death was the result.
Life happened to the Creator, God. He lost His only son and daughter to His arch enemy; temporarily.
Life happened to Lot and his family. It happened to Job, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. It happened to Saul, David and Jonathan.
Life happened to kings, princes, priests and to ordinary people.
And it happened to Jesus!
Life happens to you and I.
But Jesus came to give us abundant life; eternal life. Not just life that extends forever. Who’d want a life of eternal trouble? No, Jesus came to give us His Life; Life that overcomes life. He came to destroy the works of the devil. He came to restore mankind to their rightful place as sons and daughters of God. He came to defeat every enemy of God; including the final enemy, death.
Jesus Christ has defeated death!
Death doesn’t have the final say any longer. It must yield to God’s resurrection power.
“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?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ESV)
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25 ESV)
When life happens, and it will, there is something we can do. We can go to the One Who has experienced EVERYTHING we have to face. We may not be able to change the situation or the circumstance, but we can find the peace that passes all understanding. We can find God’s good hope to be the anchor for our soul. We can experience His “ever present help in troublesome times.”
There is coming a day when life no longer will “happen.” Until that day, let’s keep our hearts and minds focused on the Resurrection and the Life.
Jan Grace 