The sweet by and by vs. the painful here and now!
Dear Friends,
The Bible tells us two things: (1) Christians have a glorious destiny; they will be just like Jesus! (2) There is a process of sanctification we must go through to reach that goal and it is often painful. But let us remember that the pain is not worthy to be compared with the destiny. Today’s devotional explains. God bless you.
Because of Calvary,
John Janney
Romans 8:29-30
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
“You say in your Word that I have been predestined to become conformed to the likeness of Christ. It sounds almost like a fairy tale, but if your Word is true, then that happily-ever-after ending is true too. Thank you for that Lord.
“But for now, in the not-so-happy middle of the story, I have to tell you, the process is so slow…so frustrating…so painful….
“Yet in my heart of hearts, Jesus is what I want to become like. So no matter how much I…complain, keep changing…[me until at last I am] fully and splendidly alive.” [Ken Gire, Reflections on the Word, (Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Publishing, 1998), p.171]