Finally said goodbye to my colleagues yesterday after 19 years of service at the university. Here I am sitting in a quiet Tim Horton's sipping my morning tea in Drummondville, Quebec, on my way to Matapedia for a week long cycling trip along the beautiful North Shore of New Brunswick. How blessed I am!
The scripture reading this morning was from Job 1-2 and Acts 7. The title of this blog came from Job 1:10 when Job answered his wife's critique in response to the calamities that has fallen on him and the family. His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 1:9) No doubt there was great anguish as she experienced not only the lost of her 10 children and all the wealth that once belonged to the family, and now having to watch her husband suffer such severe physical pain. What she was saying was essentially blaming God for all that had happened. She couldn't understand why her husband was still maintaining his integrity - in this case, his utter respect and trust in God's faithfulness and provision. She couldn't quite accept the apparent discrepancy between what he believed and evidence that suggested otherwise. She demanded that he should curse God and die. That's such a typical response from human! Get even with God! If we are not more powerful than He we can at least show God the one power we have - our ability to tell God how we feel about Him, and the choice to control our own life, and death.
Job's response was profound and it will take me a whole lifetime to learn. He believed that both good and trouble could not happen without God's sovereign control. He chose to continue to trust God with his life, believing that all he knew about God (His wonderful love and provision) would one day be revealed. That gave him the strength to endure the suffering.
My wife has been encouraging me to look into the Theology of Suffering. We talked about how important it is to understand not only the certainty of our future suffering, but also how potentially blessed we will be and to others when that happens. She found these videos which have been very helpful: "'Offer it Up': Opportunities to Grow in Holiness" and "When You Suffer: Biblical Keys for Hope and Understanding" both by Jeff Cavins
In Acts 7, St. Stephen presented his defense to the Sanhedrin. He basically summarized God's redemptive plan for the Jewish people but pointed out that they had consistently rebelled against Him and finally nailed Jesus on the cross: “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.” (Acts 7:51-53)
Such boldness! The Sanhedrin represented the religious authority of his day. Most people would worry even to be excluded by such an authoritative group. Stephen knew the cost of telling the truth. He knew some suffering would be involved (physical as well as social) but he was martyred because of it! Just before he was stoned to death he said/prayed these two remarkable things:
(1) “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” - Stephen looked to who and what was ahead and was able to endure the pain. This is exactly what Jesus did: " fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)
(2) “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”- before he breathed his last, Stephen asked for God's forgiveness for his enemies. Wasn't this exactly what Jesus said before He breathed His last? "Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”" (Luke 23:34)
Oh Jesus, you have taught us many things but suffering is one you not only taught us, but you demonstrated it to us. Help me see your glory! Help me learn from you (and St. Stephen, St. Paul, and so many others throughout history)!
" I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner (fellowship) in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it." (Philippians 3:9-11 MSG)
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