Two-minute read.
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.
Isaiah 9:3
Promising total redemption, Isaiah prophesizes the coming joy as Israel experiences total deliverance from their oppressor. For us, redemption comes through Jesus, who rescues us from our sins, cleans up our mess, and frees us from the struggles of this world. Life comes with suffering. Every person you meet today has hidden challenges. Just because you can’t see their pain doesn’t mean they don’t have it. Learning how to control our emotions and hide our misery comes with maturity.
Writing from a booth in a local restaurant, I wonder about the people’s struggles around me. At noon, a man sits alone at the bar, drowning his sorrows in a margarita. What does he want to forget? Or why the three people to my right have animated faces over their topic? And the older couple who requested a table change, what story hides within them? Each of them has burdens no one can see and heartaches that cause them to lose sleep. Viewing them through God’s lens makes me wonder what He knows that I will never know.
Because the Lord knows the struggles we face, the temptations we endure, and the heartaches we suffer, He sent Jesus to redeem us. In Christ, we have hope that waits for us. As my pastor says, “The first 100 years are a struggle; the rest is all glory.” We can rejoice in the glory we will one day experience and persevere because we know today’s struggles won’t last long. One day, we will enjoy freedom from our pain, healing from our heartache, and indescribable joy as we bask in the glory of the Lord.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank You for Jesus and the glory that awaits us when You call us home. Please help us keep our minds tuned to You, especially when our struggles overwhelm us. Let us live in the light of Your glory as we trust You.
IJNIP. Amen
