HOLY WEEK WEDNESDAY : GOOD
J. Grant Swank, Jr.
". . .prove what is that good. . .will of God." Romans l2:2
At times the disciple wonders how his daily cross can prove anything good. It is embarrassing, stunning, unnerving with confusion, lonely, taunted with hateful cries, threatening. How can good be in this? How can good come out of this?
That is the nature of the cross. Look first at Calvary for your prime sample. Crosses are not bouquets of flowers. They are places of execution. Someone is meant to die upon a cross. They are simple woodframe constructions meant to bring about the extinction of a human life.
Therefore, when Jesus instructed His followers to take up their crosses, Jesus was inviting them to deal with pain--even the possibility of martyrdom. Everyone in the world community is dealing with daily pain anyhow but Jesus was meaning to teach disciples how to deal redemptively with cross pain. That is the secret of Jesus' unique invitation.
Consequently, when you face the cross, you know you are confronting the reality of suffering plus His remedy for suffering.
Grace children's crosses do work for good--their own good and the promotion of the gospel good. "All things work together for good. . ." That eternal promise is sure; it cannot lie.
When then you deal with your cross, do not try to figure out its good. It has its own good known to heaven. That is sufficient.
Do not attempt to know the duration of your cross' pain. Father knows your duration just He knew Son's duration on that Friday. That is sufficient.
You may cry upon your cross; Jesus did. You may writhe upon your cross; Jesus did. You may even wrestle with doubt while lugging about your cross; Jesus did.
Being a feeling human creature, you will not count the tauntings nor the intense injustice an illusion. You will know it to be real just as Jesus knew all of that to be real when He mounted the hill and climbed atop the timber.
But what you will come back to while hanging onto your cross is the faith fact that, just as Friday's Calvary cross eventuated in resurrection morning, so will yours. It is the "law of life." That law cannot be undone; it is part of the eternal integrity.
Countless cross carriers tell their magnificent stories of cross-to-resurrection journeys. We are enthralled with them--until they come home to us, then we wonder how we are stuck with such a cross trek for we yearn for the glorious conclusion but not the see-through of the jaunt.
Nevertheless, God is good. He has a good will. That will is to be proven through the reality of your cross.
". . .that ye may prove what is that good. . .will of God."
That is your individualized mission from Calvary. Jesus has a particular good will of God to produce through your cross bearing. That is certain, just as sure as was Jesus' mission. His yielded the redemption plan; yours will see through the continuation of that redemption plan.
Realize then how honored a position you have before the throne. You are privileged to be mentored by Jesus in dealing with cross pain.
". . .prove what is that good. . .will of God." Romans l2:2
At times the disciple wonders how his daily cross can prove anything good. It is embarrassing, stunning, unnerving with confusion, lonely, taunted with hateful cries, threatening. How can good be in this? How can good come out of this?
That is the nature of the cross. Look first at Calvary for your prime sample. Crosses are not bouquets of flowers. They are places of execution. Someone is meant to die upon a cross. They are simple woodframe constructions meant to bring about the extinction of a human life.
Therefore, when Jesus instructed His followers to take up their crosses, Jesus was inviting them to deal with pain--even the possibility of martyrdom. Everyone in the world community is dealing with daily pain anyhow but Jesus was meaning to teach disciples how to deal redemptively with cross pain. That is the secret of Jesus' unique invitation.
Consequently, when you face the cross, you know you are confronting the reality of suffering plus His remedy for suffering.
Grace children's crosses do work for good--their own good and the promotion of the gospel good. "All things work together for good. . ." That eternal promise is sure; it cannot lie.
When then you deal with your cross, do not try to figure out its good. It has its own good known to heaven. That is sufficient.
Do not attempt to know the duration of your cross' pain. Father knows your duration just He knew Son's duration on that Friday. That is sufficient.
You may cry upon your cross; Jesus did. You may writhe upon your cross; Jesus did. You may even wrestle with doubt while lugging about your cross; Jesus did.
Being a feeling human creature, you will not count the tauntings nor the intense injustice an illusion. You will know it to be real just as Jesus knew all of that to be real when He mounted the hill and climbed atop the timber.
But what you will come back to while hanging onto your cross is the faith fact that, just as Friday's Calvary cross eventuated in resurrection morning, so will yours. It is the "law of life." That law cannot be undone; it is part of the eternal integrity.
Countless cross carriers tell their magnificent stories of cross-to-resurrection journeys. We are enthralled with them--until they come home to us, then we wonder how we are stuck with such a cross trek for we yearn for the glorious conclusion but not the see-through of the jaunt.
Nevertheless, God is good. He has a good will. That will is to be proven through the reality of your cross.
". . .that ye may prove what is that good. . .will of God."
That is your individualized mission from Calvary. Jesus has a particular good will of God to produce through your cross bearing. That is certain, just as sure as was Jesus' mission. His yielded the redemption plan; yours will see through the continuation of that redemption plan.
Realize then how honored a position you have before the throne. You are privileged to be mentored by Jesus in dealing with cross pain.
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