Real Hope
Philippians 3:10,11 All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him from death. I want to share in his sufferings and be like him even in his death. Then there is hope that I myself will somehow be raised from death.
Power and suffering are not two words that we use all that often in the one sentence, and yet when we’re suffering is precisely when we need God to unleash His incomprehensibly great power in us.
Yesterday we chatted about Paul’s desire to know Christ and the power that raised Him from death. Resurrection power. Holy Spirit power. We can all say a resounding hallelujah and amen to that.
But the twist in the tail of that comes when he adds the idea of suffering to his desire. Really?
Philippians 3:10,11 All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him from death. I want to share in his sufferings and be like him even in his death. Then there is hope that I myself will somehow be raised from death.
Paul, did you have to spoil it by adding suffering to it? But suffering, as we well know, is universal in this fallen, sinful world in which we live.
And fortunately, God stepped down into that and He Himself suffered on that Cross for our sake. Yet He didn’t stay nailed to that cross or dead in that tomb, because death could not hold Him down. It’s that resurrection that Paul yearns for, and hopes for.
And it’s that same resurrection that you and I can look forward to when our time here on earth is done. So friend, when you’re suffering, as you will no doubt do again before your time is out, yearn for Christ – yearn to be like Him in His suffering, because you can live in the rock solid, certain hope of your resurrection into eternity when your suffering days are done.
Yearn for Christ.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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