LISTEN
REFLECT
Have you had a time in your life when all felt lost? Have you ever played a game and knew you had lost, even though the game hadn’t ended? This seems to be the situation Jesus found Himself in. By all worldly standards, the end had come. The authorities rejected Him, beat Him and handed Him over to be executed in the worst perversion of justice the world has ever seen. Yet Jesus obeyed God’s plan, and He knew God was still in control.
I experienced a situation like this when my dad received a diagnosis of stage four cancer. By all worldly standards, the end had come, the cancer inoperable. I told my dad that I was praying for him. He thanked me, but he also told me he was praying for me. I thought, “How can you pray for me? You’re the one who’s dying!” But my dad knew Jesus. He knew the meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection. If Jesus could come back to life, even death is not the end. I needed what my dad had in Christ — that confidence that no matter what is against you, nothing will succeed if God is for you. Through my dad’s sickness and death, I found personal faith in Christ. God is not done with your situation no matter how far gone it seems.
Looking back, think of a hard time where you can now see how God worked for good. Spend time thanking God for that. Even if the pain is still sharp, God understands. One day, He will wipe away all tears, even yours.
JOURNAL
For a more in-depth devotional time, we suggest you listen to the story again and think through the following six questions:
- What did I like in the story?
- What did I find confusing in this story?
- What did I learn about humanity?
- What did I learn about God/Jesus/God’s Spirit?
- How can I apply this story to my life?
- Who can I tell this story to?
Written by Joey, on behalf of the StoryRunners team