“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4)

“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings”

Ugh! Come on!!! Really? Are you kidding me? You can’t be serious!!!

I don’t want to hear that. I want to hear we boast in our comfort, or our safety, or our prosperity. I want to hear how we boast in our God who is able to save us from all this suffering!!!

“Knowing that suffering produces endurance…”

Ok. I didn’t like suffering. You think I’m going to like endurance? That’s like suffering…but longer!!!!!

“…and endurance character…”

Ok. If the only pathway to character is suffering and endurance, I’m okay with a few flaws in character.

“…and character hope.”

Hope. Now we’re talking. That’s what I’m talking about. What our world needs right now more than ever his HOPE!

But that’s just the thing. If you want the hope that God is talking about this is the pathway.

The hope that Bible is talking about is not like “I hope this is the season the Mariners will win the World Series (that is if we start playing baseball). You see, the way most of use hope, it’s wishful thinking. Mariners, World Series? We know that’s not happening!

The hope that the Bible talks about is not like that at all. The Greek word for hope elpis literally means the “expectation of what is sure.” There is no guess work here. This is a sure thing. As long as we’re breathing, we will be paying taxes. See? No guess work. This is going to happen.

Suffering ⇒ Endurance ⇒ Character ⇒ HOPE

This current season…this is not an accident. God is working in you to produce a sure hope that is unshakable!!! God’s got this, and God’s got you!

“Then Jesus said, ‘Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my apologies.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my apologies.’ Another said, ‘I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ And the slave said, “Sir, what you have ordered has been done, and there is still room.’ Then the master said to his slave, ‘Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner” (Luke 14:15-24)

What will the kingdom of God be like? What will it be like to sit at the table of God’s great banquet? Who will be there?

Most of us would see ourselves in the company of the invited – those who have the capacity to purchase land, five yoke of oxen, those who marry. These are the invited. But Jesus says, “None of those who were invited will taste my dinner.”

Yikes!

What is required is not our worthiness, our possessions, our status. Instead the ones around the table are the physically, emotionally, spiritually poor, crippled, blind, and lame. They are present not because they are wealthy or deserving. They are there because they said, “Yes.” They said yes because they knew they needed what the host offered.

Yet there’s still room for more. “Sir, what you have ordered has been done, and there is still room.” So the master sends the messenger out again to compel people to join the banquet. The goal is to fill the house. Nothing less will do. So the messenger goes out to the streets once again to invite all to the banquet. All are welcome!

The only requirement necessary is your “Yes.” Our education, our wealth, our possessions – none of these things matter.

The only thing that matters is our “Yes.”

Friends, God loves you. God could not imagine an eternity without you. So God sent his Son to die for our sins that in his resurrection we might rise with him. God loves you. You are all invited to the banquet. But God will not force you to receive his love. His love compels him to leave you with the final decision.

All who are hungry, all who are broken, all who are tired, anxious, and frightened – God loves you and invites you to eternal life. He is waiting for your decision to his invitation.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of mockers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2)

“We need to open everything up so people can get back to work. We have to get the economy going again.”

“We need to stay the course. We are not out of the woods. More people will die unless we continue to restrict our gatherings.”

I am not sure what camp you’re in. Regardless of what camp you find yourself in, there is more than enough “evidence,” “articles,” and “expert opinions” that will support whatever it is you already believe we ought to do about the Covid-19 pandemic.

With so many differing opinions it’s hard to get a handle on what’s happening. Who do we trust? Who are we supposed to believe?

“Blessed…” That’s the very first word of the Psalms. The Psalms are all about how we can live a life that is blessed. And we are given good counsel about how we can lived blessed lives in this confusing world, a world where we are never short of “expert opinions.”

“Blessed are you when you do not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of mockers; but instead delights in the law of the LORD day and night.”

The key is the law of the LORD. The key is God’s word.

It’s not that you ought not read or watch the news. It’s just that the news cannot be the only thing you read and watch. It’s not that you ought not listen to the “experts” or our neighbors. It’s just that everything ought to be read and interpreted through the lens of God’s word.

The way we go about interpreting the happenings in the world around us is through the lens of a God who loves us, a God who wants what is best for us, and a God who knows better than we do what is best for us.

This God not only knows better than us, but he has already made a way for us to live blessed lives by dying on the cross and paying the debt of sin by descending into hell for us. He not only paid for our debt of sin, but he rose again from the dead to show us how to live the blessed life!

Wow! That is amazing news!

That is the lens by which we are to “see” everything around us. Without this lens, we will always be lost, wandering, and wondering. The love of God expressed through the word of God is the lens that helps us to “see” the world around us.

So, whatever it is you are facing today, know God loves you. Nothing can keep you away from the love of God. That’s our starting point.

Have a blessed day!