Good Will Come Out of Evil

Matthew 5:4 - Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

The other day our Wisconsin winter turned nasty with very cold temperatures. Of course there were many comments on Facebook regarding this...and all the winter storm watches people were concerned about...that rarely come to the fruition as prognosticated! (How’s that for a word?)

So I posted this on Facebook:

Was just thinking… 

There have been many comments recently about the cold weather and how we either like it or we don’t. (I’m okay with cold because I know it won’t last forever. I love the change of seasons.) 

A thought I had yesterday as I was out and about was if we didn’t have the dislikes in life we would not be able to appreciate the likes, which we all know. 

So my mind wandered. I got to thinking if we don’t have Christ in our lives the things that are disturbing as seen on the news or on Facebook can really be blown out of proportion because we don’t have the knowledge or peace of God. I have to admit there are times when I get upset with the things that I see on the news, on Facebook, and I remind myself that this is what we are told life will be like in the last days...and it ain’t gonna get better.

So those who understand this, be thankful for the greatest thing we know we have, Jesus Christ and His peace, hope and truth. We can appreciate the new life we have received-through Christ-and can just know the disturbances in this world are temporary as far as we are concerned. Share Christ and hopefully others will be able to have the same peace, hope and truth.

I did not expect to receive as many likes as I had. 

Then our sermon was done by a one of our wise young men while pastor was out of town. What he said hinted at the same thing. He started with the verse above from the Beatitudes. 

Donny suggested that we can pray righteous prayers for personal reasons, for national or worldly reasons but it does not mean they will be answered! But they were prayers from a righteous heart desiring good to come out of evil. Here are two instances where God didn’t even answer His own Son’s prayers: 

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’” (Matthew 23:37-39) This was a prayer to Israel, the Jews, who did not see Him as their long-awaited Redeemer because He did not fit their prescribed mold. I see this as being similar to prayers we may pray for the wickedness apparent in this country or the world. God may ignore those prayers knowing some have gone too far in their decision to do what is evil in the sight of God. And He knows a change of heart will not happen.

...He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:39, 41-44) Thus, Jesus was crucified. But there was an excellent reason...so that He would overcome this death, so then when we received Him to ourselves we too would overcome death. 

Like I mention in my thoughts...we must experience the not-so-good things in life that we can appreciate the good. When Jesus returns someday, those who have received Him, followed Him and endured to the end, despite losing friends, being ignored or scoffed at because of their beliefs, those will have tasted that difficulty. But...when those who are in Christ are taken up to be with Him there will be an instantaneous joy. All tears will be wiped away. By some miracle those will be so caught up with being in the presence of our Lord and so transformed, the pains of life on earth, whatever they might have been, will be gone. Pain, suffering and tears are traded in for peace, prosperity and gladness. Though we have mourned, we will be comforted! Though we have experienced the not-so-good, we will appreciate even more the good.

Receiving Christ is the most important thing one can do in this lifetime. Only He offers hope, will wipe tears away and restore joy. His ministry before His crucifixion was the attempt to gather us as His children, to offer us a better life with a changed heart and knowledge of His truth. He still doesn’t always fit the model of a Savior because we want our own view of how God should see us, not the Jesus He claims to be. However, if this is not done, those are among they who will be desolate, apart from God for eternity. 

I look forward to this:

Psalm 30:5 - For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.