Day 206: Suffering is Better

2 Corinthians 11; 2 Kings 25; Habakkuk 2

Paul was trying to make sure that people were believing the Jesus he knew, not a made of version of another "Christian" religion or something they created in their head to fit their lives. When we, and the Corinthians, decide to believe in a different version of Jesus, then we are not worshipping the Jesus who has the power to save. We become our own god because of our creative power. We even risk worshipping Satan because he tries to disguise himself, as verse 14 points out: "Even Satan tries to make himself look like an angel of light." This is why reading scripture with our own two eyes and our heart searching for truth is better than any church sermon. Pastors and preachers are human and can be guilty of making the message of Jesus something it is not. And instead of relying on him or her to teach us, we need to hear it from the very mouth of God, his word.

Paul also brags about how much he has been beaten and in jail and persecuted. He basically is saying (reluctantly) that he is a more devoted follower than the other fake apostles. Wow, if the scale on which we will be judged as how good a follower of Jesus we are is how much suffering we face because of our faith, then I'm a terrible follower! That's something I've been thinking a lot about, simply, how devoted am I? Am I willing to create conflict, to walk into conversations that will be difficult, to help people that may hurt me in return? Paul definitely was and he knew that that was what God wanted. He really truly was willing to risk everything for the sake of Jesus. Are we?

In 2 Kings, those who do not believe in God want to destroy everything that has to do with him. They burned the temple and broke pieces made for worship. They had no respect for The Lord and so none of that mattered except in the value that it would earn. The same is true today. People want to destroy the Christian faith and our God. We need to recognize it for what it is: a battle. But not against the people themselves, but against the dark ruler of this earthly world and his demons. Prayer, justice, and love are our weapons and The Lord of the Universe is our defender. We have nothing to fear, but we have to be brave enough to step out and risk suffering.

In Habakkuk it talks about how God will doom those who live for the world, who treat people unjustly, who seek to acquire wealth, who worship idols. However, there is one verse that is so filled with hope and awesomeness: "Just as water fills the sea, the land will be filled with people who know and honor The Lord." We are not alone! Many will come to know him!