We will

There is so many warm fuzzies to look forward to during the Christmas season.  The food, the visits with family, the office parties... The reason for Christmas is a respite from the rest of the year’s worries and I love it. 

Today I read in Luke that we Christians have other things to look forward to that are not warm fuzzies but cold pricklies. These things are sure to touch each of us in varying degrees, and Jesus predicts these things for us so that we will not be surprised when they happen.

He says in the book of Luke:  “...you will be seized and persecuted; you will be handed over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name and that will be your opportunity to bear witness.  Make up your minds not to prepare your defense, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated universally on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your perseverance will win you your lives.” Luke 21:12-19

The words “will” and “shall” are used ten times in this short paragraph. We will be seized, persecuted, handed over to secular courts, and imprisoned by the actions of family and friends.  But these events will be our opportunity to wax eloquent with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and by persevering we will win our lives. 

I hope when we experience things along these lines we really will be ready to meet the challenge and not be taken aback with disbelief.  

Thomas A Kempis wrote in The Imitation of Christ: “If you have Christ, you are rich indeed, for only He can fill all your needs.  He will be you provider and defender and your faithful helper in every need, so that you need not trust in any other.

"How quickly people change and fail us; but Christ abides forever and remains at our side to the end.

No confidence is to be placed in mortal human beings, no matter how helpful they may be or how dear to us, for we are all frail. Neither should you be downcast if one day they are on your side and the next day they are against you; for humans are changeable like the wind.

"Therefore, put your complete trust in God and let Him be the center of your love and fear.  He will answer for you and will do what He sees best for you.”

I don’t think any of us look forward to the predictions in Luke’s book, but we can look forward to having our Lord stand next to us defending us in our time of trouble.