Everyone is interested in the future, and to a large extent, what we believe the future holds will determine our decisions today. This episode of Life in Christ is the first of two lessons that will explore what the Bible teaches about death and what lies beyond.
The waiting game
Are you patient? How well do you cope with long grocery lines, crowded doctor’s offices, and traffic jams? And those are easy compared to some other kinds of waiting–the single person longing for a marriage partner, the childless couple who wants to start a family, the spouse trapped in an abusive marriage who desperately hopes things will get better, the employee in a dead end job.
It’s easy to get frustrated. Waiting is hard, especially when we think something should be done, yet God tells us time and again: “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act” (Psalm 37:7).
Why God allows suffering
When tragedy strikes, one of the most frequently asked questions is, “What kind of God would let something like this happen?” We read in the Bible that God is both good and all-powerful, but we also see evil running rampant in the world. Why doesn’t God do something to stop it? If He’s good, wouldn’t He want to end the hurt and heartbreak? If He’s all-powerful, wouldn’t He be able to? But He doesn’t. Why not?
One of the best places to find an answer to that question is in the life experiences of Job, but you may not like the answer you find there. Job’s God is not safe, and many find His solution unacceptable.
The story opens with a conversation between God and Satan. When God asks the devil if he knows His servant Job, Satan says the only reason Job is doing well is because God protects him. God’s response is to give the devil permission to hurt Job and his family. Satan wastes no time. He takes Job’s children, his wealth, and his health. Then the devil uses Job’s wife and friends to discourage him.
The secret of the easy yoke
Jesus talked about discipleship a lot, yet few Christians understand what it is. We’ve heard about the “cost of discipleship” paid by the martyrs and saints of antiquity, and it’s easy to view discipleship as graduate level studies for those who are serious about their faith. Jesus had a different perspective. He understood discipleship to be Christianity 101–the basic lifestyle of his followers. And Jesus saw it as a life of blessings, not burdens. He once told a crowd, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”