Wednesday 22 April 2009

Background

It is quite easy to be romantic about the suffering of the earlyChurch - but sometimes it helps to stop and notice how even themost mundane of inconveniences 'puts me out'. Water that is coldwhen it should be hot. Roads blocked when I relied on them beingclear. Messages not responded to at the time and place and in themanner I hoped! How easily I can descend into 'grumpy person mode'and wonder if the whole universe is in some way conspiring to getat me.

I doubt the disciples were any different and so for them theprisons, beating, stoning and the rest must have come as real - notromantic - hardship. They too must have wondered 'Why me?' And yetthe book of Acts is full of another theme. Despite and through thepersecution, they are filled with a stunning sense of hope andexpectation. Every experience is lived and understood through thelens of God's extraordinary grace seen in Jesus' life, death andresurrection.

It must have been for them like being in love for the first time.Mere inconvenience, even genuine suffering, all fade away in thelight of the overwhelming sense of 'good news'. Jesus promises thatthose who are persecuted will be blessed! How hard that is toimagine, unless you stop for a moment and remember the first timeyou knew the love of God in Jesus. You realised that you also wereloved, that your story was also being swept up into the greateststory ever told, that despite all, perhaps because of all, you werepart of the saving work of Jesus in the world.

On such a day, although we pray, "do not bring us to the time oftrial" (Matthew 6:13), we would, as the apostle Paul, count oursuffering as nothing compared to the glory that is to be.

To Ponder

What irritates you and inconveniences you that inGod's gracious reality you are simply meant to endure with graceand humour?

Have you ever noticed how difficulties - evensuffering - can be swept up into God's most gracious and wonderfulstory of hope and healing? When has that been too hard to do?

What difference does the story of Jesus' deathand resurrection make to your own story?