As lockdown continues to ease for many, we can reflect on what a trial this has been - and continues to be - for some. The apostle James, in his letter, speaks of trial and testing. We stagger at his words in James ch 1:2 where he says, “my brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various trials – knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience”.
How on earth can trials such as the lockdown produce ‘joy’?
We can turn the pages of scripture to the letter Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and we are told to “bless God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1 v 3). These are wonderful words but, incredibly, they are written by Paul the Christian at a time when he had been locked up for a number of years (not just months) in a jail in Rome, and at a time in his life when he had so much to do, and had made so many plans to do things and travel to many different places. But he could not do anything that he had planned.
Jesus tells us that, when we understand simple Bible truth, it will set us free despite the circumstances in which we are living (John 8 v 32). Perhaps this is easier for some to grasp than it might be for others, but it is nevertheless a gift that Jesus offers everyone who will turn to him. But how do we take hold of this gift?
The writer to the Hebrews tells us that we can have boldness and access with confidence the eternal purpose of Almighty God through our trust/faith in Jesus Christ and to do be free in doing this (Heb 4:16) Paul asks his Christian friends not to be discouraged about the restrictions and trials that he is suffering. Instead, Paul had found freedom from old habits and routines and found new ways to make the most of his situation to follow Jesus - even from his prison.
It has been a long time since most of us have travelled on a train. If we can remember that far back, we will reflect on the unwritten rule of the train – nobody talks to another, nobody acknowledges another. When the train breaks down and stops, the unwritten rules are cast aside or suspended and we talk to and acknowledge the other passengers. Now that we are in a new situation where everything has stopped, we can find new ways of doing things, where we can find freedom from the old habits, routines, even standards to which we might have become enslaved.
Paul could not leave his prison, so he engaged in daily prayer for the Ephesian church that they would truly know their Christian hope, all brought about by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This was how they were to confront the fear of death. We are faced with daily news of death and the toll has now exceeded 40,000. We have no doubt been asking ourselves where will this all end?
The good news for the Christian is that the resurrection of Jesus has broken the power of this slavery we have in our fear of death and, as Paul told the church at Rome, all creation has been waiting to be set free from this fear and slavery of death (Romans 7 and 8?). The resurrection of Jesus gives the Christian at last the opportunity to break free from the bondage to this power of death.
The apostle Paul prayed that the Ephesian church might be strengthened to know Jesus Christ better in the days ahead. During this time of lockdown, may that be our desire too, to be strengthened ourselves through God’s spirit within us, for where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
By Tim
Based on a recent virtual talk we had at our Church. If you would like to join us for any of our virtual services, please get in touch.