Bad news and God’s comfort

Some people call the Christian hope of heaven ‘pie in the sky’ and make fun of those who trust God for a glorious eternity. I understand that thinking, especially on those days when bad news makes heaven extremely appealing. Yet the hope of full redemption is not based on mere hope-so hope. It is grounded in the promises of God.

Two days this week brought four dire situations — bad news and tears, and for the most part no relief. They are what they are. I look to the Lord for answers, comfort, a Listener for the sorrow I feel.

This morning, God gives me a little piece of pie. That is, He comforts me with the promise of full resolution. Sin and its consequences will be no more, yet as the Bible says, we groan for it to happen . . .

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:18–23)

This old world is in bondage to corruption. Our bad news involves mental illness, broken bones, dreadful abuse and a murder-suicide. Most stem from the sinful condition of humanity. I groan, but I also pray. God is not limited by my short-sightedness nor did any of these things catch Him off guard. Further, He is not limited by hopelessness or the distress of people, His own children or otherwise. Nothing is too hard for God.

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Lord Jesus, for me grant the grace to trust You and keep trusting You, not only for the next life, but for this one, and for the wisdom, grace and compassion needed regarding this week’s bad news. Reading stuff like this in the daily paper or hearing in on television is bad enough; having it happen in our backyard to family and friends is indeed a suffering. You will eventually wipe away all sorrow and tears. For now, I’m so glad to know You and rely on You. Pie is okay, but Your promises are my deepest security. As Tozer says, Your richest blessings often require sacrifice, suffering, conflict, and patient waiting, but the blessing grows with the delay and Your compound interest increases as we endure.

Having my pie and eating it too . . .

John Piper calls it “future grace.” This refers to the promises of God that will happen in the future, but that give His people encouragement for the present time. This amazing grace is expressed in these verses. 

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16–17)

Christians are sometimes accused of a “pie in the sky” religion that gets us thinking about heaven to the point that we are no earthly good. There is nothing like that expressed in Scripture. As the above verses say, our eternal comfort and good hope have a purpose; it establishes our hearts so that we can speak and do good things.

This is practical. Today I woke up with a sore throat and feeling like I didn’t want to get out of bed. Thoughts of God began drifting into my mind, thoughts that came from Him. I know this because if left to my own, I’d quickly succumb to self-pity. I got up and ready for the day, then began reading the Bible. I was reminded of how I was lost in sin and am now blessed by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

As I read these verses in 2 Thessalonians, I thought about the promises of God for eternity — where there will be no more tears, sickness or sorrow. A smile formed. Those aches didn’t vanish, but they didn’t seem so pressing. Instead of thinking about myself, the Holy Spirit put other ideas in my head — thoughts of the goodness of God and thoughts about how I can honor Him today.

Simple? Yes, but important. When I am thinking about myself, this is continually reflected in my words, such as complaining, bragging, or whatever else points to me. When I’m thinking about God — and this happens because of His grace — then I can speak to the needs and interests of others, even telling them or showing them the love of God, a totally different approach to life.

The joy and promise of some day being with Jesus fills my head with thanksgiving and worship. Those thoughts produce different words and actions than thinking about the pains and pressures of life. This is what the Bible says they should do. That means faith is never pie-in-the-sky. Instead, it puts my head in the right place. Besides comfort, the love and hope that comes through grace is entirely practical.

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God, You are amazing. Just thinking about heaven and the delights of eternal life that You promise has given me great encouragement for this day. I’m not sure what You have in mind, but I thank You for putting my mind on You. I know that no matter what the day will bring, You will take care of my body. Thank You for also taking care of my heart. Instead of being wrapped up feeling sorry for myself, You have wrapped me in Your grace and comfort! 

(photo credit)

To Live is Christ — totally trusting, even without seeing

Faith in Jesus Christ is sometimes ridiculed as “blind” and “pie in the sky.” While this is not entirely true, faith has elements of both thoughts. The ridicule happens because those who do not believe only see a small part of what it means to trust God. They cannot see what I see.

“Blind” faith is thrown around because Christians believe in Someone that is invisible. Perhaps the scoffers think God is like the invisible friend invented by a child to be with them in their play or in troubled times.

While God does that for me, I didn’t invent Him — because I don’t have that capacity. The Bible says, “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10–12)

How could I make up God when my sinful heart isn’t interested in seeking Him or doing what He says?

Instead, God is real and Jesus, God the Son, came to earth to make visible the glory of God, to show blind eyes what He is like. The strange thing is that although He did miracles and rose from the dead, people still refused to seek God. They didn’t want to be saved from sin, so they crucified Jesus, not realizing that by doing so, God could offer them eternal life. Yet apart from “blind” faith, the offer is rejected. The only reason anyone believes in Christ is that God draws us to Him, opens our eyes, gives us faith, and convicts us of our sin.

Even after understanding who Jesus is and that God loves me, forgives me, and draws me into a personal relationship with Him, I still need His revealing power to see and understand the spiritual realm. Scripture affirms this repeatedly.

As it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Even the redeemed are blind. God says I need to walk by faith, not by sight, yet I still want to see, to walk by sight. He gives me understanding of Himself, yet so easily I go my own way and do my own thing. Is it because I am in constant need of this revelation of what God is doing in my life? I know that is true.

Every day I am drawn to Scripture. I’ve no idea what the day will hold and have learned how easily my plans can fall by the wayside. Life is uncertain, and even the little things are unpredictable. If this were not true, worry would never be a problem. In fact, those most keenly aware of this unpredictability are most inclined to struggle with worry.

Yet God affirms. My faith is not in what I know, or the clarity of my future. It is in Him, the One who is sovereign. I can walk with my hand in His — even with my eyes shut — and still be confident. I can walk in faith along the darkest path and through the darkest night, through deep and horrible trials, not because I can see, but because He has shown me that He is faithful.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Faith is not about seeing what’s coming, but about trusting the One who controls what is coming. I am blind as far as the future, but clear as crystal regarding faith’s true object, the God of the Universe, who is also my Friend.

Faith is also about “pie in the sky” — which is a skeptic’s description of my heavenly destination. Faith assures me of it, not because I can see it but because God has said it is waiting for me. He has revealed to my heart and mind that He is who He claims to be, that His glory is seen in His Son. I know that I can trust Him.

People can mock blind faith, but I know that the One who I cannot see exists and that He rewards those who seek Him. This is far better than trusting anything that I can see. No matter what that might be, all things other than God have too many strikes against them. Nothing but God is eternal. No one but God can deliver on every promise. I cannot trust myself; I’ve already realized the folly of that. I must trust Him who is invisible. He is unseen, yet He also reveals Himself and His faithfulness to those who humbly put their hand in His.