Monday, August 6, 2007

The Cross then the Crown - Part 2

Sorry it's taken so long to bring you part 2 of this series. Things have been pretty crazy in my life. I had the contents of this post written at the same time as the previous post, but the Lord in His mercy allowed me experience some personal suffering before I wrote about it.

We spent 5 hours in the emergency room on Lindsey's birthday and found out that she was miscarrying our 3rd child. It was all kind of a blur for me until I got home and made some phone calls to my parents to tell them. I cried and asked for prayer for our unborn child. Lindsey and I prayed together and asked that God would be glorified no matter what. And we believe He was. The next day we lost the baby. As we shared with others we were so encouraged and blessed by those who have also gone through a miscarriage.

It was a great reminder to us that life is so fragile and that every day that we have is to be cherished. I'm also more convinced than ever that though I may not understand God's purpose in pain and suffering, His will is perfect and He will be glorified always!

So now onto the thoughts I had following the previous post...

Paul, James, Peter and Jesus all speak of us receiving a crown one day. But it is not without a cost...a weighty cost indeed. As Americans, we hate to think about suffering. We go to extremes to avoid suffering at all costs. However, suffering is to be the norm for the Christian. We are strangers and aliens here, not to be in love with this world.

As Paul awaited his execution in a Roman prison, he penned these words to Timothy,

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the CROWN of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:5-8

James reminded early Christians that,

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the CROWN of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12

Peter wrote to encourage those who were becoming discouraged by the persecution that they were receiving because of their faith in Jesus.

And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading CROWN of glory.
1 Peter 5:4

To those in the church in Smyrna, Jesus said these words,

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the CROWN of life.
Revelation 2:10

In a day when "Christian" bookstores are filled with books about how to be rich, happy and comfortable and nearly every "pastor" on TV spews the same garbage, how can we as believers in the Lord who know we are called to take up our cross and count the cost, suffer well for the glory of God and confront the "prosperity gospel" teaching?

I'd like to get your thoughts!

2 comments:

Kyle Borg said...

Josh,
I am so sorry to hear about your unborn baby but so encouraged to see how the Lord is working-blessed be his name.
In regards to the suffering post, this is one of my favorite quotes that has for me, put a whole new spin on the idea of suffering. So many Christians in America emphasize physical suffering over spiritual suffering and in doing so, we lose sight of our own suffering. "No, we Christians in such a country do not feel the immediate threat of the sword. But untangling ourselves from the clinging web of idolatry is like death. For the web exists inside us as well as outside, in the ways in which we have already, as members of our society, absorbed its godless assumptions. Participation in society is hardly possible without idolatry. Society regards the Christian as a misfit, a misanthrope, a victim of insanity. The Christian does not accept the 'obvious verities,' and so cannot be trusted. Thus, a consistent Christian will find it difficult to fit in and mix with pagan society." VS Poythress
I at least thought the quote was semi-appropriate

Anonymous said...

It seems to me that it is consistent with scripture that we would experience trials as Christians and that we would feel like aliens (which we are) until we're home.

my prayer for our family (acknowledging that I have a tendency to waste time even meditating on useless junk that culture says is important), is that God would do whatever is necessary in our lives to make sure that we are 'tight' with Him -knowing Him intimately, walking the narrow path, disgusted by that which disgusts Him, blessed by that which blesses Him.

i dont want us to be that frog in the kettle/pot thats slowly getting warm, as i sit there.

thanks for your writing.