The God who raises the dead!

The other day I read 2 Corinthians 1:1-11. This passage really blew my mind when I read it.

What I think is so amazing is the way Paul describes the character of God to them – He is the ‘Father of Compassion and the God of all comfort’ (v3). In Paul’s letters and in all the New Testament epistles God is refered to in so many amazing ways and they always seem relevant to the issues that are being raised in that letter. Clearly Paul is writing to some Christians who are either having a tough time or are very aware that tough times are just around the corner.

What I think struck me the most though was how Paul talks about suffering:

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.           2 Corinthians 1:8-10  (ESV)

Paul had so evidently received more than his share of physical suffering in his life, but he views it not as a bad thing but actually as something that makes him rely so much more on God and so much less on himself. And Paul doesnt just hope in God for this life and say that these things happened so that he had comfort or good things, but rather his hope became so grounded in eternity as he realised what is real and lasting. ‘But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead‘ (v9). This seems constantly to be Paul’s attitude; that eternity is what counts so fix your mind on it. This is such a challenge as it is so easy to get caught up in all the things of this life and not actually view Heaven as being where our treasure lies.

I know suffering and hardship really freak me out, but I also know that at some points when things have been really bad in the past I have really clung to God and somehow, although everything has been going wrong at those times, found myself very satisfied in Him. It is an awesome place to be in and no doubt the Apostle could have testified to that so many times. This is what he captures in encouraging the Corinthians that bad things make us really on what is real and to stop focussing on what is not.

This song below really captures the heart of that. I encourage you to watch the top video and then to listen to the song, I really think it is the cry of a heart that knows suffering is rubbish but is learning that God’s glory is more important. And dare I say that we may actually suffer much hardship so that His name may be Glorified if that is His will.

“Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”                Job 2:10