Devotions

Throughout scripture, the greatest revelations of God’s goodness came to people in their times of trouble, calamity, isolation and hardship. We find an example of this in the life of John. For three years, this disciple was “in Jesus’ bosom.” It was a time of rest, peace and joy with few troubles or trials. He knew Jesus only as the Son of Man. So when did he receive his revelation of Christ in all his glory?

It happened only after John was dragged from Ephesus in chains. He was exiled to the Isle of Patmos where he was sentenced to hard labor. He had no fellowship, family or friends to comfort him. It must have been a time of utter despair, the lowest point in his life.

That’s when John received the revelation of his Lord that would become the final element of scripture: the Book of Revelation. In the midst of that dark hour, the light of the Holy Ghost came to him, and John saw Jesus as he’d never seen him before. He literally saw Christ as the Son of God.

John did not receive this revelation during Jesus’ days on earth or even while he was working alongside the other apostles. No, it was in his darkest hour that John saw Christ in all his glory. This incredible revelation put John on his face, but Jesus put his hand on John and reassured him, declaring, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:17-18, NKJV).

I believe this revelation comes to every praying, hurting servant in his or her time of need. The Holy Spirit says, “Jesus holds all the keys to life and death, so everyone’s departure rests in his hands.” This revelation is meant to bring peace to our hearts. Like John, we are to envision Jesus standing before us, holding the keys to life and death, assuring us, “Don’t be afraid. I hold all the keys.”

What is our response to be? Like Job, we are to say in faith, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

In the days of the early church, this is what the body of believers said, “They lifted their voices together to God and said, ‘Sovereign Lord…who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed”’” (Acts 4:24-26, ESV). 

The church back then wasn’t talking about people who just feel a little bit disgruntled around the Christian philosophy and the Christian worldview. We’re beginning to see a similar move toward rage and intense antagonism toward the Christian faith today.

However, these individuals are plotting in vain. That gives us hope, doesn’t it? This is part of what the Lord is saying in Isaiah, “Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 54:16-17).

The plots of man, the disruptions, the fierceness that might come against us even in the last days, these plots are in vain. Our enemy is forging these torments in a fiery furnace, but the Bible tells us that the devil and the people he drives plot in vain; their weapons will have no effect. 

When you’re being tested, when you’re being tried, when the enemy comes in like a flood, what happens? When people or the devil comes against you, they’re really coming against the Lord himself and against his anointed. God raises up a standard against this attack for his own glory and as a testament to his goodness in the lives of his children!

He’s anointed you. If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, you were given an anointing. You were given grace. You were given power.

Several studies in sociology and other educational sciences demonstrate that an overprotected child who has been spared everything, having known only victories, will find himself at a disadvantage, even perhaps in serious danger when the great trials of life hit him or her.

It’s natural to want to shelter our children, but one of the most extraordinary skills that we are called to develop for our families is a healthy, biblical view of how to go through trials.

Let’s not be afraid. Do not despair in the face of failures, trials, handicaps, delays or deserts that we are going through. They are powerful tools in the hands of God to speak to the hearts of our children and to shape us, to transform us. Your family today needs to hear the voice of God who says, “I will not leave you or forsake you” (Joshua 1:5), “I am the Alpha and the Omega” (Revelation 22:13), and “I am still working! My mercies never come to an end; they are renewed every morning” (see Lamentations 3.23). “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them” (Isaiah 41:17).

Let's not limit our God. Instead let's look at how many men and women in the Bible — Abraham, Moses, David, Gideon, Joseph, Peter, Paul, Mary, Sarah, Esther — were shaped, comforted, transformed and used by God despite the life strewn with trials and failures from which they recovered.

“My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home; for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity” (Proverbs 24:13-16).

This week, remember that regardless of how many times your knee bends, God will lift you up. In suffering lies great good for us and our children, both now and in the future.

^{Claude Houde is the lead pastor of Eglise Nouvelle Vie (New Life Church) in Montreal, Canada. Under his leadership New Life Church has grown from a handful of people to more than 3500 in a part of Canada with few successful Protestant churches.}

God can and does use angels to minister to people, but he mostly uses his own caring children to dispense his grace. This is one reason we’re made partakers of his grace, to become channels of it. We are meant to dispense it to others. I call this “people grace.”

“To each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7, NKJV). Because of the comfort we’re given through God’s grace, it is impossible for any of us to continue grieving our whole lifetime. At some point, we are being healed by the Lord, and we begin to build up a reservoir of God’s grace.

I believe this is what Paul meant when he wrote, “I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:7-8) and then “…you all are partakers with me of grace” (Philippians 1:7).

The apostle is making a profound statement here, one that the apostle Peter takes even further. Peter writes, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). What does it mean to be a good steward, or dispenser, of God’s manifold grace? Am I such a person? Or do I spend my time praying only for my own pain, grief and struggles?

God’s grace made Paul and Peter compassionate shepherds, able to weep with those who grieved. They were saying, “When I go to God’s throne to obtain grace, it is for your sake. I want to be a merciful shepherd to you, not a judgmental one. I want to be able to dispense grace to you in your time of need, and you should do the same for others.”

Beloved, our present sufferings are producing something precious in our lives. They are forming in us a cry for the gift of mercy and grace to offer to others who are hurting. Our sufferings make us want to be grace givers.

The gospel of Matthew tells a story that might disturb some believers: The Gentile woman with the demon-possessed daughter.

This woman seeks Jesus so persistently the disciples say, “Lord, send her away. Get rid of her. She won’t stop bothering us.” Note Jesus’ response to the woman’s pleas: “He answered her not a word” (Matthew 15:23, NKJV). Evidently, Christ ignored the whole situation. Why would he do this? Jesus knew this woman’s story would be told to every future generation, and he wanted to reveal a truth to all who would read it. So he tested the woman’s faith by saying, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). Christ was saying, “I came for the salvation of the Jews. Why should I waste their gospel on a Gentile?”

Now this statement would have sent most of us on our way, but this woman didn’t budge. I ask you, how often do you give up on prayer? How many times have you grown weary and reasoned, “I’ve sought the Lord. I prayed and asked. I just don’t get any results”?

Consider how this woman responded. She didn’t reply with a complaint or an accusing finger, saying, “Why are you denying me, Jesus?” No, scripture says just the opposite. “Then she came and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me’” (Matthew 15:25).

What follows next is hard to read. Once again, Jesus rebuffed the woman. Only this time his reply was even harsher. He told her, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs” (Matthew 15:26). Once again, he was testing her.

Now the mother answered him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” (Matthew 15:27). What an incredible reply. This determined woman was not going to relent in her pursuit of Jesus, and the Lord commended her for it. Jesus said to her, “’O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour” (Matthew 15:28).

Beloved, we are not to settle for crumbs. We have been promised all the grace and mercy we need for our crises. That includes every crisis involving our families, saved or unsaved. We’ve been invited to come boldly to Christ’s throne with confidence.