Blessed Hope

Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." John 11:21-27 (NKJV)

Paul refers to the resurrection of Believers as the "Blessed Hope." It is hope that causes us to believe that there is a life (a better life) waiting for us on the other side of death. A well-known actress (Valerie Harper) was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. She has an aggressive tumor in her brain and has been given three months to live. When a reporter asked her about her prognosis, she had a couple of great insights. She said, "I plan to live until the moment that I die; and as far as my terminal prognosis is concerned, everyone is terminal."

She is right, everyone is going to die sooner or later. With such a gloomy prognosis for all of us, we need a "Blessed Hope!" It would be shear nonsense to have hope in the face of death's inevitability without any evidence to the contrary. We have such evidence. Just shortly before Jesus was Himself, crucified and raised from the dead, He demonstrated His power over death by calling forth His friend Lazarus who had been dead for days.

Earlier, Jesus had asked Martha an important question: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live...Do you believe this?" It would be hard for just about anyone to believe such a thing unless the person posing the question was Jesus. My hope for a future beyond this life--my hope for my family (both those that have gone on before me and those that are following)--my hope for my friends (who are dear to me)--my hope for Believers around the world...it all comes down to Jesus. Let me answer the question as did Martha, "Yes, Jesus, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God; and when I leave this body behind, I will be with You."

Prayer: "Dear heavenly Father, I do morn over the loss of many friends and family members who have died. But for the Blessed Hope I would be in despair. You are the author and the finisher of my faith and I have come to trust in You. You do not disappoint, but exceed all that I could ask or hope for in a Savior. Thank you for being closer than a brother. Thank you for life beyond the door of death. Thank you for life! Amen"