You are not forgotten.
God is always painting a masterpiece for his glory. We can’t always see the big picture, but we can find hope in any storm by changing the direction of our perception as we, like Jesus focus on resurrection hope (Hebrews 12:1-2). Like a holy thread connecting us to heaven, the presence and power of Jesus within us is a confident hope we could hold onto (Ephesians 1:14).
Resurrection Hope from Jesus
After the death of their brother Lazarus, Martha and Mary were upset that Jesus hadn’t come to Bethany in time to heal him. When Jesus first arrived at Bethany after Lazarus’s death, Martha came out to see him—but Mary, consumed with despair, stayed home.
Martha, filled with resurrection hope after she had spoken to Jesus (“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her in John 11:23), went back and found her sister. “The Teacher is here,” Martha told Mary, “and is asking for you” (John 11:28).
Wise Martha pointed Mary to Jesus. Where do you look when life seems overwhelming?
When Mary came out to meet Jesus, she fell at his feet in grief. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32). Jesus’ response? He wept.
For every pain you bear, know that your Bridegroom cries with you! One day he will wipe away all of those tears in glory, but for now he asks us to hold on to hope and trust him when we don’t understand (Revelation 7:17; John 14:1-4).
You and I are living between the two bookends of God’s great story.
Your Journey between the Two Bookends
Genesis tells us about our world’s beginnings. The picture of God creating the world reflects his heart for mankind. Adam and Eve lived in fellowship with God and each other. Provision and purposeful work flowed from a perfect environment. But sin interrupted this perfect design and the world became broken.
The last part of Revelation offers us a glimpse of our glorious ending. Heaven is God’s home and will be the eternal home of his children. In heaven, our prepared place, every tear will be wiped away. There will be no more sickness or sin. We will eternally worship of our Creator, as this is what he created us to do.
But today, you and I are living between these two perfect bookends. Problems exist between the two perfect bookends. Between the beginning and the end, the world is broken. Life happens and we face challenges.
Never let what happened to you to define God’s heart towards you.
Follow Jesus and find life through any loss as you journey between the two bookends.
Sometimes seeing the glory of the resurrection means walking through a valley. But during that time, know that God has not left you. You are God’s child. As his daughter, you can walk in the assurance that He can help you today with whatever you face—no matter what it is. And he wants to do just that.
Nourish Scripture: John 11:1-43
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Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.
