Text: John 19:28-42, Revelation 21:1-4
John, the beloved, stood and watched His Savior and friend bow His head.
He saw the simple autopsy of Jesus and watched as Joseph of Arimathea carried away the Son of Man to be buried. He witnessed all of it and I can’t help but wonder if it felt like the end of a horribly sad story. A huge part of me wants John to have written a sidebar right here, to see his humanness. I wouldn’t mind a “And guys – I was SAD. It did NOT look good” right around John 19:43. John must’ve known tears, right? He knew and saw death. And while I’m sure the events that would occur three days later brought a massive spring to his step, he’d know pain and hurt again in his life.
We catch up with John years and years later, now an old man, as he’s exiled on the island of Patmos. While we might be tempted to feel bad for him – let’s peek in on the picture he’s experiencing in Revelation 21. John the Beloved got to see things he could barely describe and things we can barely dare to interpret. A new heaven, a new earth, a resurrected and returning King wiping away all the tears.
Do you know pain? Do you know someone who knows pain?
Does it feel like the end or the middle or the beginning of just another sad story?
Don’t for a second let the enemy of your heart leave you in John 19.
Ladies, He rose from the dead – compelled by love and grace and power – instilled and enlisted by His Father, to defeat sin and death and tears and pain. For the glory of God and for our restoration. And like John saw before he took his last earthly breath, He’s coming back. All the old sad stories are going to be weaved like beautiful vintage threads into a tapestry of grace and glory and Good News.
Where is your hope today? Is it in a life without tears that you couldn’t muster up if you tried or are you simply hoping for another story to begin that isn’t quite as sad as this one?
Let’s hope in a fresh start. A beautiful, true, eternal story. One that never began and never ends, but climaxed on a sad Friday over two thousand years ago and will see us through to this beautiful new place – where our tears are no more.
I would see my self as a piece of clay that God could mold me unbroken a cup, vase, or even a plat using me as He sees me and needs me to minister. That was when I was, I thought,on the platform sharing his word with others. I no longer speak from that type of platform…and I have been wondering what type of vessel God has created me to be and after reading today's devotion God showed me that I am a paternal that can be carried around and wherever I walk I show Jesus and do not have to speak words all the time, just let His light shine through me. I work at a public school and a couple of teachers came up to me and said we talk about you in our meetings…how wherever you are God's light just shines through you. I said thank you and hank God because I have the opportunity to shine as a paraprofessional for Him in our school to both students and teachers.
I am having such a tough time finding joy and direction. Like someone spoke earlier a feeling of just existence. I feel like I’m hovering over an airport waiting to land, only there is no place. I know that God is the captain, but I’ve become an impatient passenger and lost faith in God’s perfect plan for my life. I call out to him, but he doesn’t answer, yet, at times, I hear Him whisper my Name. I am thankful at those moments that I know for certain that He has not forgotten me. Please pray for me my Sisters that I am obedient to His will, to gain a fresh wind, and a deeper level of faith, which sustains me for the journey. My inward desire is to be a woman after God’s own heart, and I am not happy where I am with this. I will pray for you as well.
I need to awaken my faith and get out of the rut I'm living in. I have so much to be grateful for and could stand to give it up to God way more often than I do. I pray that I really start to believe in the new life He offers every day, and the eternal new life we'll encounter when we leave this world. I'm not really sure where my hope is right now, but I know where I want it to be. And I pray for enlightenment and strengthening of faith.
Amen! And thank you Jesus!
Amen to that Darlene! I so want to draw nearer to God. Praying for you all and please pray for me. We are in financial bind and trying to be obedient to Gods word.
It was a sad story, but a happy one because he gave up the ghost for a reason. He did it for us and I can't wait until we see him again. To take us away from this corrupt place that was once a peaceful paradise. Just stay faithful ladies. Keep talking to Jesus daily and stay in your Word for wisdom. Things will work work out for you because the same has happened to me and my family. God bless!
Happy Dr MLK Jr Day sisters! Its a great day to take the time to give Reverence to God for blessing us with a man of God. A man God who wanted to create peace among all men of different races and nationalities. Let’s continue to keep peace and let our light shine where ever me may go. God bless! :)
Awesome Darlene!! I’ll always keep this simple thought in my head in times of trouble!!