| The Scripture for today offers words of comfort when it says we are God’s chosen ones. In fact, Jesus reminds us that we have not chosen him, but he has chosen us. He has chosen us to serve and worship him, to receive every spiritual blessing and a heavenly inheritance.
But to some of his loved ones God whispers, “I have chosen you for the furnace of affliction.” Yes, he does choose some of his children to suffer.
Consider the apostle Paul. God said of him, “He is a chosen vessel unto me…for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16 KJV).
Chosen to serve God, yes; to praise him, of course; but to suffer for him? After being paralyzed for more than five decades, I am able to say yes. God gives special promises to those who have been specially chosen. If you have severe aches and pains, a husband gone astray, a wife with manic depression, or some other painful circumstance, he has a word that is spoken particularly for you: you are a chosen vessel chosen to suffer.
Author Samuel Rutherford said, “Therefore, all the comforts, promises, and mercies God offereth to the afflicted, they are as so many love-letters written to you. Take them to you, and claim your right, and be not robbed. It is no small comfort that God hath written some scriptures to you which He hath not written to others. Your God is like a friend that sendeth a letter to a whole house and family, but speaketh in His letter to some by name, that are dearest to Him in the house.”
Take a few minutes to look up some passages that contain special promises for times of affliction. Key words are suffer, comfort, and afflict.
Thank you, God of all comfort, for speaking words that serve as a balm to my soul. |
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