Does it ever seem to you that the things you are experiencing right now are lasting “forever?” There seems no end in sight to perhaps suffering, financial struggles, relationship issues, etc. You may be asking the Lord, “When will this end?”
I read this morning in Luke 16 about Lazarus, a man who knew what it meant to suffer. Here’s what we learn about him:
· He was a beggar; he was poor and had no means to provide for himself
· He is lame and was brought with someone’s help to the gate of a rich man
· He is covered with sores
· He ate from the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table
The next thing we read about Lazarus, the beggar, is that he died and was carried to heaven by the angels. His suffering is now over. Now he is seated at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God. He is no longer a pauper; he is feasting!
There is another man mentioned in this passage, he is referred to as “the rich man.”Here is what we learn of him:
· He is clothed in purple and fine linen
· He ate sumptuously every day
· He fed his dogs to the full and overlooked the needs of this hungry beggar, Lazarus
We read that the rich man died too – this is the only thing he had in common with Lazarus. Death has no partialities; And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). However, after his death he finds himself tormenting in hell. He is not there because he was rich, there is no sin necessarily in riches. He is there because he allowed his riches to be the center of his life instead of God. In his mind he thinks about Lazarus and can see him in heaven with the saints that are there. It seems that these two men have changed places. Lazarus, who had suffered on earth, is now faring sumptuously. The rich man, who had it easy on earth, is now the beggar. His plea in his torment is that Lazarus might bring him a drop of water to cool his tongue and relieve his torment in the flames. Think of it – a man who had all he could want on earth is begging for a drop of water; that is poverty!
Now, what about this thing of suffering lasting “forever?” For one that has made this earth their heaven and has rejected Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for their sins, their suffering will begin the moment of their death and will continue for eternity. Don’t let death be the beginning of your suffering; God loves you and desires that you become His child by receiving His gift of salvation. But God commendeth (proved) His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Lazarus’s suffering ended with his entrance into heaven, and so shall ours if we know Christ as our Savior. What a glorious thought!
RefreshHer 