In the presence of mine enemies

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

Hello, my friend…

Today I’d like to address this very familiar verse with you concerning the struggles we all are having right now. The world is going crazy, it seems. Everywhere we turn, there seems to be turmoil. Political tensions are only getting stronger, racial issues continue, prices on necessities are going through the roof, wages are stagnant. Everyone we meet seems to be at their breaking point.

I have always heard pastors approaching this verse from the standpoint of heaven. Some sweet day all our troubles will be over – once we leave this valley of tears. When we get to heaven, we will have no more pain, no more suffering, no more crying. While that is true, heaven seems so far away from most of us at this point. Heaven definitely sounds good, to be sure, but what about now? How do we get through today?

Earlier in this 8th chapter of Romans, Paul wrote about hope. We are saved by hope. In another place we read of our hope – Who has gone beyond the veil into the very Presence of God – and serves as our anchor in the stormy times. Hope. The Bible has much to say about this subject, and I encourage you to do a search through scripture on it. Yes, we have faith. Oftentimes, however, before hope comes hope.

Hope takes the picture of what we want, of our wishes, and places them into the waiting hands of our heavenly Father. He, in turn, takes those wishes (our desires), filters them through the sieve of His will for our lives, and gives them back to us in the form of hope. By hope, we are able to see, to flesh out, the bare bones of a wispy, airy idea and give it shape and form. Whereas a wish only leaves us feeling a sense of loss or lack, hope begins to stir within us the ability to believe that we may actually have the ability to receive those things we desire. Hope puts hands into the unseen and starts drawing it to us.

Which brings us back to the here-and-now. No matter what situation may be occurring in your life right now, it feels useless to look forward to heaven. The sweet bye-and-bye might as well be never when you are looking at the mounting pile of bills, answering the endless string of collection calls, dealing with physical pain and suffering in your body, desperately seeking a job, or anxiously praying for answers that never seem to come. What can I offer you today that can bring some peace into your situation?

Gratitude. I offer you the opportunity to start thanking God for the things you have. King David wrote, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” We enter God’s presence with thanksgiving for His many blessings in our lives. Granted, when life has it’s boot on your neck, it’s hard to think of good things. You may be in a wheelchair right now. Can you breathe? You may be struggling with bills right now. Do you have access to food (even if it’s through a food pantry)? Can you see? It may be hard to appreciate the beauty of nature when you are struggling, but we are constantly surrounded by it. Do you have any friends in your life? Do you have a job? It may not be your dream job, but at least it is something. Do you have someplace you can go to worship – or just sit in silence and meditate? This may sound crazy, but one of my favorite places to escape to and meditate is one of our local cemeteries. Obviously, it is peaceful. It is well-maintained. And it reminds me of the temporary nature of life.

Today, my friend, I encourage you (if you aren’t already doing it regularly) to begin thanking God right where you are. You may be at the bottom right now and can’t seem to see or feel any hope; however, as long as you are looking to Jesus as the Author and Finisher of your life, you do have a Source of hope. No matter what is going on around you, start simple, start small. I can promise you that once you get started, it won’t be long before your thankfulness list grows. As you express your gratitude to God, He, in turn, will give you a spirit of praise. It may be faint, but it will be the flickering embers that can grow into a fire in your heart.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Today, may you draw down heaven into your life. May you detect the fragrance of the Spirit of God in your heart. May hope rise in your spirit, and may the glory of God rest upon you. Not someday in the sweet bye-and-bye, but in the right now. “Thou preparest a table before me IN THE PRESENCE of mine enemies.” Let that be your testimony today.

Be blessed.