Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind, live soberly,
and set your hopes completely on the grace to be brought to you
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The Good News is so good that it can motivate everything else we do. It is often difficult to be obedient children in moments of temptation. We all experience the desires of our former ignorance. The struggle to overcome unconverted self is challenging. But if we realize what the glories to follow actually are we have hope. We wait meet challenges with endurance until those glories are revealed.
Our hope is the reason we can sacrifice earthly goods for the sake of Jesus and for the sake of the Gospel. Jesus himself tells Peter about these blessings when Peter is only reflecting on the negative.
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
Jesus does not neglect to mention that persecutions come along with the good that comes from following him. He is the ultimate realist. It is just that nothing can compare to the goodness of knowing Jesus now and spending eternity with him.
"In light of heaven, the worst suffering on earth will be seen to be no more serious than one night in an inconvenient hotel." - Saint Teresa of Ávila
These are mysteries in which angels longed to look. They are mysteries in which we begin to partake even now and will soon share in fullness.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
No comments:
Post a Comment