“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)
This man that our Savior said went to his house justified, do you think that he felt justified? Do you like to imagine that later on in that day he started to feel better about whatever it was that drove him to that place that day, to cry out from his very soul for forgiveness, for mercy?
Is that easier to imagine for you than whatever shame, whatever emotional pain that caused him to cry out remained with him, perhaps even unto the end of his life?
“And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)
What of this man? Did the action of the Lord Jesus Christ assuage all his doubts, his fears until his dying breath?
We prefer to look on the bright side of life, do we not? Verses such as Ecclesiastes 7:3, “Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.” And “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” (Prov. 13:12) are not what we care to dwell upon, are they?
We want to contemplate on the man who asked the Lord to remember him when He came into His Kingdom, not the thief on the other side of Him. On Lazarus who was raised from the dead, not the Lazarus who was left to beg for crumbs until he died. We want to be associated with Christ, just not so much in His grief and sorrow, we want to see Him riding into Jerusalem but not think too much about that whip He took the time to make.
We know trials and tribulations will arrive, but we hope they do not stay for long. We know that persecutions will enter into our lives for His name’s sake, for His glory, but we hope and pray they will pass quickly, that they would be removed from us as soon as possible.
And If He for His glory decides to sit us down beside Job on the dunghill, we hope that seven-fold more will be given to us as well.
“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
“O Lord, keep me from this! Do not allow that to happen to me!”
“A nice, easy stroll down the path of life to that strait gate, a few minor inconveniences, but nothing too dramatic please, nothing that might cause me to doubt, to worry, to suffer.”
And then stroll into heaven with a big smile on your face, armor unscathed, barely even a scratch, finally ready to serve. Everything to go well here, and then an eternity of even better.
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:14)
Most everyone you have ever met are going to die in their sins, many, if not most who profess to serve the Lord Jesus Christ do so only with their lips. Few there are that can say in all honesty and full acceptance, “Nevertheless, Thy will be done.”
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” (Job 13:15)
Always looking on the bright side of life, minor inconveniences considered tribulations, persecutions nothing more than an awkward meeting of one whom you mentioned His name to. Because Jesus loves me, and He doesn’t want anything bad to happen to me.
Not a life of turmoil within your soul, but one of enduring peace, no grief or sorrow, no continuing frustrations with yourself, no hatred of this world and its evil ways. Whistling a happy tune all the way to heaven on a continuously smooth path.
Because Jesus loves you and doesn’t want anything bad to happen to you. Right?
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:22)
Are you sure the smooth path is the way to heaven?
