Author Catherine Campbell explains how the Bible demonstrates God’s devotion to us and reassures us that, if it all feels like a mess, he’s not finished.
I love words, and there are some wonderful words in the Bible. Words like; “grace” that gives what we don’t deserve, “love” as in “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” (John 3:16) and “forgiveness” that total pardon bestowed on us when we repent.
Then there’s “hope”, a truly beautiful word, that when used in the Bible has nothing to do with wishful thinking or looking for silver-linings. This kind of hope offers certainty – a confident expectation that what God has promised in his word is true and will happen. But hope is about what God will do, and not necessarily immediately. It’s a parcel of God’s assurances held together by a cord of trust.
That’s where the problem often arises for us… particularly when something happens that shakes us, or breaks our hearts. Where is hope when circumstances obscure our view of God’s plan for us? Can what is broken be fixed? Or, perish the thought… is God finished with us? Has he moved on to someone else who’s got it together more than we have?
This kind of hope offers certainty – a confident expectation that what God has promised in his word is true and will happen.
Recently I was writing some Bible meditations about Mary and Martha (John 11). They had been devastated by the death of their brother – a hurt compounded by Jesus not coming when they’d sent for him. They believed that Jesus could have healed him, but he didn’t turn up. Then, when Martha heard that Jesus was on his way she goes out to meet him, and bitterly rebukes him: “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.” She then goes on to use three powerful words: “But even now” (John 11:22). Even now with her brother in the grave four days, even now with her life in pieces, even now with her heart broken. Martha suddenly sees in Jesus hope - a confident expectation that he can do something with the mess that has now become her life.
“Even now,” she said. “I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” (John 11:22). What faith! For a second she looked beyond her hurt and disappointment and saw Jesus, the one from whom she had come to expect the unexpected. She knew him, had experienced his compassion, and immediately declared Jesus as: “The Christ, the Son of God” (v27). Hope had been taken away when they laid Lazarus’ body behind that stone… but she hadn’t reckoned on Jesus.
God never gave up on them… neither will he EVER give up on us… he hasn’t finished with us yet.
Where is your even now? Where is that place for you, where hope seems lost, and life is in tatters? For me it was the diagnosis that our baby “would never be normal”. My response was bitter like Martha’s, until I chose to look beyond my pain and discovered that Jesus had not abandoned me after all. Have you finished that sentence of Martha’s: “But even now…” with a cry of dejection, or are you prepared to lift your eyes from the rubble and see Jesus there? For even the slightest glimpse of him will deliver strength-empowering hope for the darkest of days.
In my book, God Isn’t Finished With You Yet, I retell the stories of individuals who were broken, socially isolated, or had made a mess of their lives. Abigail was trapped in a cruel marriage, but God freed her. John Mark was a failure, but God granted him true success. The woman of Samaria was spoiled by sin, but God forgave her. Judah was guilty but God transformed his life. Simeon and Anna were aging but God continued to use them. Remarkably, God never gave up on them… neither will he EVER give up on us… he hasn’t finished with us yet.
No comments yet