August 26
Job 20:1-22:30 | PS 40:11-17 | Prov 22:2-4 | 2 Cor 1:1-11
I remember vividly the encounter that I had with a patient in 1990 when I was still a resident. She had fairly easy surgery on an early stage uterine cancer and she was in the hospital recovering. The nurses remarked on her sadness and lack of visitors. On her 2nd or 3rd day she told me she would soon die and never leave the hospital. I reassured her that she was unbelievably stable. Minutes later while writing the note, they found her dead in her bed. Not from surgical complications or from her disease, but I believe in retrospect that she died from lack of hope. In 1994, lead singer, Kurt Cobain, of the group Nirvana died in his 20’s from an overdose. His views seemed to be somewhere between Buddhist and atheist, and he sought peace in “nothingness”, believing peace would be found in emptying himself. Sadly, this emptying resulted in a lack of any real hope and an early death.
We have to remember, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12). Those who believe in God as well as those who don’t will struggle in this earthly life. The question remains, what do we place our hope in. Or better, Who do we place our hope in. God is always there and available, but sadly many do not seek Him, as we read in Job 21:13-14, describing those who trust in their wealth, “They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave. Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.” In contrast, read Paul’s beautiful words and where his trust lies in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.”
How you handle life’s challenges and where you seek guidance from, is up to each one of us. Putting our full trust and hope in the Living Hope, Jesus Christ, will give peace both on earth and for eternity.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: