Sunday's Coming

      By Fern Horst

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." (I Peter 1:3-9)

I love it when my nieces and nephews come with suitcases in tow to spend the night. They're getting older now, but when they were toddlers it was at nighttime that their fears would sometimes come out and prohibit their falling asleep. On one such occasion, one niece and then another crawled out of bed to whisper to me their fears. From my adult perspective, the fears they expressed seemed rather silly. But I knew they were real to them. After a simple prayer with them all was well, and back into bed they went, their fears vanquished.

We tend to think of a child as having a carefree existence with not a care in the world. All they need to do is eat and sleep and play. But I've been around children enough, and remember enough from my own childhood, to know that the challenges they face each day are just as real to them as the ones we face as adults.

Recently it occurred to me that God must see me and my fears in much the same way I saw my nieces' fears. He knows from His broader and more complete perspective the outcome of those things I struggle with and am concerned about, and that in the end they really don't matter. And yet He doesn't belittle my concerns. He meets me in prayer and comforts me. And in sharing them with Him, I am again at peace.

Three days before Easter, I think back to what the first Good Friday must have been like for Jesus' mother, disciples, and friends. What a horrible day that must have been for them. All the hope that Jesus had brought to them seemed to be literally dying before their eyes. Their hearts must have felt as bleak as the darkness that descended on the earth as Jesus was breathing His last.

Little did they know on that darkest of days that three days later all would be well. Something more wonderful than they could imagine at that point would take place. Jesus would rise from the dead, conquering sin and death for all of us. Even on that Resurrection Sunday, they didn't yet fully comprehend the magnitude of what it all meant, not just for them, but for everyone who would be born after them. But they were overjoyed to have their Jesus with them again. Hope was restored.

In your life, today may seem like a Black Friday. Your life is not as you expected it to be. Your circumstances may seem unbearable and unlikely to change. You fear the future.

But remember this: Sunday is coming. That is more certain than anything you fear. God is in your future; He is there ahead of you and knows all that will take place. He is in the present also, and will walk with you through today and into the future. He will never forsake you. And then someday He will also walk with you through the gate called Death, right into Eternal Life with Him.

When you feel like crawling out of bed at night to whisper your fears to someone, go ahead and do it. Whisper them to the Lord. And then know that because of Jesus' death and resurrection, and because of His continual presence with you, there is ultimately nothing to fear.

"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8)

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10)

© 2008 Fern Horst

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