“He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Marion and Francis Sorley served the Lord on the mission field for many years in Japan. After coming to Cambridge, got cancer. I was at the hospital bed of Marion when she was in her last days. Wilbur and Pearl Sorley, her brother-in-law and sister-in law were there along with her husband. She was pretty much comatose. Some asked, “How could God allow this godly servant suffer with cancer when not too many years before they laid to rest their daughter-in-law with cancer?”.
Wilbur also a missionary, shared the Old Testament story of the cows carrying the ark of the Covenant into Israel. Not only did the cows carry the cart that carried the Holy of Holies in obedience, but when they came into Beth Shemesh they were sacrificed. Sacrifice and suffering from our perspective seem unfair and cruel, but this was the means of bringing glory to God. That became the call of many missionaries who went out to serve the Lord. They were faithful servants and God wanted to demonstrate His glory even in greater ways through the suffering or death of His saints than if they remained faithful servants. For those who endure such things will be rewarded manyfold for their faithfulness.
When Francis and Marian Sorley experienced cancer once again in their home, they were strengthened by the presence of God and the prayers of the believers who held them up.
Paul taught the Thessalonians, what began in eternity past reaches its climax in eternity future, so that they might share in the glory of their Lord Jesus Christ. We ought to thank God for our blessing of sharing in the inheritance of the saints in light, as Ephesians tells us. We share in the glory of Christ at His coming and in His Kingdom that is to come. We will be fellow heirs. We shall see Him as He is and rejoice in His fellowship. The hope of the Christian comes from the second coming of Jesus Christ. What God has planned is far greater than our imaginations. We are called to share in the joy of our salvation.
We are recipients of God's grace for eternal encouragement and good hope. God will give to us eternity. Forever and ever, we are to experience of joy of salvation. We cannot imagine how long eternity is. All our experience is broken up with time, but our hope is timeless. 100 years from now, and a 100,000 million years from now, we will be celebrating the glory of being with God. This life on earth is spit in the bucket and will be forgotten.
This hope gives encouragement to the persecuted church. We have something tremendous to look forward to!
Application: Ask God how you can use your trial to glorify Him.
Prayer: Lord God, thank you that I am a recipient of Your mercy and grace.
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