“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

What should your reaction be?

Many have lost a loved one and this time of year this season of joy is often diminished by the loss of our loved one.

This post looks at an other point of view. For me, in the midst of my loss, the clarity enhanced my relationship with God deeply and my chances of ever seeing Janis again. Someday you might lose a precious one. Maybe you want to read this.

In Matthew 24:3-23, Jesus speaks of the trials followers can expect to go through. These are frightening things, threatening things, deceiving things. He says we will be hated by all nations because of Him. In fact it is His love, His Way of loving, that we are to maintain, enduring to be saved.

In verse Matthew 24:10 it says, “And at that time many will fall away…” (to fall away you must have believed at some point, Paul says “reconciled” in Romans 5:10. We say “saved” Look it up.)

In verse 24: 12-13 it says, “And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.”

If love growing cold is a lethal problem for us, saving enduring love must be our goal. Only we can prepare ourselves to (lovingly) endure. Paul spoke “I press on toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

An effort must be made on our part. God is calling to us through Christ Jesus. Paul’s understanding certainly did not consider it works. He saw himself as responding, obeying and in obeying he “pressed on.”

After years and thousands of people around the world praying faithfully for the healing of my Godly wife Janis, God says to me, “I want her with me.” Within hours, she departed. What about all those prayers, those promises? What should my reaction be? Maybe He wanted to see? Not so He would know but so I would know!

We shudder as we ask ourselves if we can endure the terrible forecasts of Christ? We have trouble enduring the evening news without a curse if not from our lips, it may be hidden in our hearts! Woe, woe, woe unto us. Lord please help us.

I know God did not kill my Janis. Still in a meaningful comparison, God did to me,…..exactly what our persecutors might have done, He took the love of my life away from me. What should my reaction be?

Everything we are seeing in life that provokes us to anger or unforgiveness can be used in the plot of the enemy to capture us.

By provoking us WE violate the Word of God, we defeat ourselves. What Word? Probably several scriptures but one in particular.“For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:14 NASB

Is it possible this Word set Jesus free of our sins before He actually died and will it set us free also before we actually die? What should my reaction be?

My reaction toward my persecutors must reflect my reaction toward God over the loss of my sweetheart. “Thy will be done Lord.” I knew, about Janis, what I would have needed to know had we fallen prey to some persecutors of our faith. “Oh death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” God’s protective desire, His living will rests within this truth.

How could I be angry with God who gave Janis to me to begin with? I have thanked Him in sobbing tears for His receiving her into His care. I have thanked Him over and over for a love that was beyond my imagination, tearfully missing her. But that is God!

So what should my (our) reaction be to a persecutor? Have I trained myself or am I training myself to accept God’s will in that case? Will I be light to him? By God’s grace in that case, I will see Janis again and be with her forever.

A persecutor will go to hell forever unless he sees the light. How can I endure losing my sweetheart to God in total acceptance of His will and not obey His will that I intercede for those who might kill me?

Do I know what Jesus knew? Am I convinced that they cannot really kill me, in the same way that Christ and Janis still live in eternity?

God desires that none should perish. He means eternally! We must desire that none shall perish eternally! Christ desired that we not perish eternally. He forgave us and interceded for us! They have no chance unless they see the light, our light, even as we perish, if God wills.

What will my reaction be? It would be good for me to know ahead of time. Way ahead of time. Lord help us all.

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $6.99