As I read in John 20 of the frantic attempt by Mary (and the other women) to find the body of Jesus, I tried to put myself in her place. And I realized that she really, really loved Him. She had come to mourn, but when he wasn't there, they were so confused. The part that stood out to me was verse 9.
"They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead."
But we know from Scripture that He had already told them that He had to die and that He would rise again. They clearly didn't understand... So I looked back to find exactly what He had said.
Matthew 17:23 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.
Matthew 20:17-19 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Luke 9:22 “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
Luke 9:44-45 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.
It seems so clear, yet they did not understand.
He also spent a long time at the Passover dinner right before his arrest giving his disciples a lot of information about their future. What he would be doing, where he would be going, how they were going to get along without him, what they would need to do before they got to come too... Their eyes had not been opened or they were not able to fully understand what he was saying. But that really encourages me because there are so many times when I want to know the answers and don't have them (or at least can't fully understand His promises) either.
Matthew 17:23 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.
Matthew 20:17-19 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Luke 9:22 “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
It seems so clear, yet they did not understand.
He also spent a long time at the Passover dinner right before his arrest giving his disciples a lot of information about their future. What he would be doing, where he would be going, how they were going to get along without him, what they would need to do before they got to come too... Their eyes had not been opened or they were not able to fully understand what he was saying. But that really encourages me because there are so many times when I want to know the answers and don't have them (or at least can't fully understand His promises) either.
Some of the bigger questions at this point in my life right now are:
"Why would you allow a young mom I know with five kids 7 and under to be stricken with cancer? What will you do in their trial?"
"Why do some relationships have to be so filled with strife?"
"When will my kids truly understand what Christ did for them?"
And less weighty questions even:
"Where will we be living in 6 months?"
"When should we get a dog for Kaiah? or "Should we even get a dog for her? And if we do, how will we train it to smell low blood sugars?"
"Should Cliff apply to only the day shift positions in Oahu or include nights as well?"
The only constant, the solid rock is the Word of God that doesn't change like shifting shadows. Oh that I would not forget that! Because I do... so often. I pray that I will be able to look at the confusing scenarios in my life or the incomplete pictures and know that God is sovereign and in control. He knows what is good for us, whether it be a blessing or a trial. And I pray that I can take comfort and trust in some the answers he has given us in scripture already:
Deut 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" - the things God has prepared for those who love him-
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
There are many other verses that I could write down to remind me that I don't need all the information right now. He's given us what we need. We just need to trust Him. His plan is always best.
"Should Cliff apply to only the day shift positions in Oahu or include nights as well?"
The only constant, the solid rock is the Word of God that doesn't change like shifting shadows. Oh that I would not forget that! Because I do... so often. I pray that I will be able to look at the confusing scenarios in my life or the incomplete pictures and know that God is sovereign and in control. He knows what is good for us, whether it be a blessing or a trial. And I pray that I can take comfort and trust in some the answers he has given us in scripture already:
Deut 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" - the things God has prepared for those who love him-
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
There are many other verses that I could write down to remind me that I don't need all the information right now. He's given us what we need. We just need to trust Him. His plan is always best.
