THINK TOGETHER
Is there anything hard that you are going through lately?
READ TOGETHER
Living on Earth can be really hard and even embarrassing at times, but living with Jesus will be full of glory and goodness.
Yesterday we talked about following the footsteps of Jesus including his footsteps into suffering. Jesus left Heaven to come to Earth to suffer with us and for us. Why? Because he loves us and God knew that the suffering of Jesus would prove his faithfulness.
And how did Jesus make it through all of his suffering? He knew that there was a glory coming that would much, much greater than anything he went through on Earth. He knew that if he suffered for us, then he would get the glory of living with us forever in a place without pain, or sin, or sadness, or suffering.
And Peter wants us to remember this and choose to live the same way. Here’s how he says it in his letter to us:
1 Peter 4:12-13. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
We suffer whenever we are missing out on something that we want or need. If we are sick and need to be healthy, then we are suffering. If we want to play but have homework to do, then we would say that we are suffering. If we want others to like us, but they are being mean instead, then we are suffering from their meanness.
But when we have Jesus we have a promise that God will give us everything we need and even everything we want (he will change what we want). When the “glory of Jesus is revealed,” when he comes back from Heaven to rescue us, then we will have all the love, and friendship, and strength, and kindness, and even all the things we could ever want in the whole universe. Wow!
But what about until that day?
Well, you can start today to live like Jesus did on Earth – choosing to trust God, not running away from suffering, especially if it will help others and prove your trust in God, and “rejoicing” in knowing that one day Jesus will return to rescue us and give us everything we want and need.
Because of Jesus we will live with him in glory forever with all our wants and needs met by God.
With Jesus we can live unafraid of suffering today.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Watch Monsters Inc. together (or just the scene below). Little Boo had to learn to trust the monster Sully (Kitty) in her suffering, just like we need to learn to trust Jesus. Boo and Sully suffered together (shared suffering) until they were finally united when the broken door was made new again. And one day, just like Boo and Kitty, we will be reunited with Jesus in a place with nothing scary, just laughter and love.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
I’m not afraid to share in your suffering, choosing to help others, because I know that one day you will fix everything and let me be with you in glory.
Amen.
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