daily devotions 3rd March 2017

John 16: 22Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, these were His parting words and they were very sombre words. Jesus warned that after He leaves us, the Church would go through a time of grief; yes there is a great price to pay for our faith in Jesus Christ. He being the Son of God had to endure severe persecution in His life; history also records the suffering of the Christians in all ages.

This time of grief will continue until Jesus returns and we are also reminded that persecution would increase as we enter into the last days before Jesus comes. Saints of Jesus Christ have paid the highest price when they laid down their lives for the sake of His name. In fact the persecution would be so great that the total numbers of martyrs must be complete before it would all stop.

Rev 6: 10-11 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How Long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their  brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

This is the fate that believers have to face, when the early Church had to experience such persecution, the historic Church world-wide also endured such persecution, let us be reminded that Jesus’ warning is for all times including the time that we are in.

Many have suffered and many more will suffer but we are again reassured by Jesus that our faith should never give up. In John 16: 20 verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

Let us be encouraged that whatever situation that we are in, whatever sorrows and pains we are experiencing, Jesus had gone through every one of them. He was rejected, betrayed, deserted by His closest disciples, suffered severe pain and wounds on His body bore all our sorrows and diseases. Jesus knows our weaknesses and He also knows what we go through.

He knows how difficult it is for us to withstand all these and He is by our side to strengthen us as we face the difficulties and challenges ahead.