REFLECTIONS

May 1st, 2016

I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Philippians 3:8

Where to from Here

Take notice! Something is different today. It is different because something from yesterday has been taken away, and what has been taken away will never be recovered. It’s like when childhood is no more, when innocence fades into the unrelenting burden of responsibility. Today something has been taken away and whatever that something is, it will never again be more than a memory. So, where to from here?

The question is a daily one. Most days the loss suffered will go unnoticed or will be inconsequential, but there are days when the loss is deep or even life changing. Physical ability diminished, health impaired, financial loss, or death of a loved one prompt the question, where to from here?

Surely Job must have asked himself that question when his children and his wealth were taken from him. And he couldn’t have found much comfort when his friends turned on him too.

Such a day even came in the life of Jesus. His time on earth was drawing to a close and He knew it. He knew his dignity would be stripped away by a chiding crowd; his honor would be splattered by spit in his face, his body would be scared from painful scourging, and his life would be taken by torturous crucifixion. In fear of what He would endure, Jesus asked the Father to find another way, but God’s answer was no. God’s purpose was to remove our sins, so Jesus submitted to the Father’s plan. And through his loss, we gained everlasting life.

Tomorrow what once was today will join the stream of yesterdays and something will be different. Something will have been taken away, and the loss may indeed even be life changing. And we may ask ourselves, where to from here? Jesus found the answer and Job did too.

The answer is not found by dwelling on what was taken away. The answer is found through submission to God’s purpose for the loss. We are not blessed with life so we can live only for ourselves. God has a greater purpose. We are vessels of light and the things taken from us only make our light shine more brightly. So, where to from here?

Loss is gain when it is for Christ.

You are the light of the world,

Richard Ì

www.reflectingthesavior.org.


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