10,000 Years and then Forevermore

“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.” -Hebrews 5:7

Upon first perusal, the above verse appears to have an error.  Jesus prays to the one able to save Him from death and he was heard. Really? If He was heard by the one able to save him from death, why did He die? Was He really heard if He died? Seems a bit contradictory.  

The reality is that Jesus was heard that dark night in Gethsemane.  My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.‘ (Matthew 26:39) He was heard but the answer was no.

I am ashamed by the fact that the first time I read that verse, I decided Jesus was not heard because He didn’t get what He asked for. Has this really become the essence of prayer, the essence of my Christian belief? Have I really boiled my relationship with God to this:

He only hears when He gives me what I want. If He doesn’t give me what I want then either 

A. He can't hear me
B. He's not a good God
C. He doesn't exist. 

What about D. He withholds things that are not for my good (Ps. 84:11)

There are a few things I want to hammer into the very fiber of my being, my soul. The first is the gospel. He loved me so much in my wickedness and my rebellion that He sent His Son into enemy territory to save me from my own self- destruction. This must be my starting point otherwise I am viewing life through an incorrect set of lenses. The second idea is that I frequently ask God to 'teach me to suffer well.' I have talked with several friends who have walked away from God usually after some sort of suffering. They tell me, "Candace, I never believed I would be saying this but..."

It is sobering to me to hear these words, sobering because I know it could easily be me if I do not daily, hourly cling to truth.

I recently listened and then listened again to this excellent sermon by Matt Chandler.  He discussed the end of Hebrews chapter 11. Beginning in verse 32, there is a roll call of biblical superheroes:

-Some conquered kingdoms

-Some enforced justice

-Some obtained promises

-Some stopped the mouths of lions

-Some quenched the power of fire

-Some escaped the edge of the sword

-Some were made strong out of weakness

-Some became mighty in war

-Some put foreign armies to flight

-Some received back their dead by resurrection

All those are pretty awesome and I know I would love to say I did one thing in my lifetime half as cool. Conquer kingdoms, bring about justice, stop the mouths of lions, show fire who is boss, put foreign armies to flight, see dead people come back to life? Yes, please. But then it switches and there is not even a transitional word to prepare you for what is coming next. Some didn't.  

-Some were tortured

-Some were mocked

-Some were flogged  

-Some were imprisoned

-Some were stoned to death

-Some were sawn in two

-Some didn’t escape the edge of the sword (v. 34) but were killed with the sword

-Some were destitute, afflicted, mistreated

-Some wandered deserts and mountains

-Some lived in caves  

In the sermon, Matt Chandler points out that the first set of people are not the average set of people. For almost all of us, things will go bad. The stark, deathly dark truth is that I know there is a tendency in myself that will want to abandon ship when I get that dreaded phone call. In the days of plenty, health, comfort it’s easy to sing out ‘Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me’ or ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul O my soul Worship His holy name’. But on that day of testing when I face cancer, the unexpected death of a loved one, extended singleness, miscarriage, infertility, a broken relationship, prison, my own death, loss of limb, destitution, mockery, seemingly deafness of God will I still ‘Sing like never before O my soul’? Will He still be my joy, be enough, satisfy me? This is why I want to hammer it into my skull, get the truth in my blood veins while life is good. He didn’t spare His own Son but crushed Him for my sake. Will He bring any needless tear my way? ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Can tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword separate me? Can cancer or miscarriages or poor health or death or war or pain or disease separate me?   

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors. He is worthy. He is enough. May it graciously be so.