Romans 8:18
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
I just love the word of God. I love the language. Like our scripture this morning... "I reckon!" The sufferings of this world are real and hurtful. Sometimes it may seem like we can't handle anything else. We suffer for being righteous. We suffer for being holy. We suffer for being a Christian. We also suffer in this world from just everyday struggles and heartaches. But when we count them all together, Paul says that he "reckons" it can't even compare to the glory of God.
A few years ago my wife and I were going through a very tough time. Death had not knocked on our families door very much. Only my pawpaw had gone home to be with Jesus so far. But then out of the blue, death knocked. Not once, but twice. My wife's grandmother and my grandmother both went into the hospital about eight days apart. They stayed there for over one hundred and fifty days. Then crossed over the river of Jordan into the hands of God eleven days apart from each other. We were actually walking off of the fresh dirt of my wife's grandmothers funeral service when we got the call that my granny had another serious stroke.
We were sitting in a revival meeting during this time period. I was not preaching but my family was singing. It was so difficult that night trying to sing. The sorrows seemed to be way too heavy. I didn't know how I was gonna make it, but then the preacher said something that got to me. He said, "When I'm down and out, I get down on my knees and pray". God begin to move in my heart and I wrote the words to this song...
When I get down, I just go down on my knees in prayer to Him
When I get low, I know I can go to the one who walked up Calvary's hill
When I am stressed, my heart is pressed inside that it seems there's no way out
I look all around and when I get down, I just go down
When I open the paper or turn on the news I can see this old world is dying fast
From murder to lying my souls starts crying Oh, God how long will this last?
I worry about loved ones and all of my friends, without faith they'll never win
But then I think of Jesus alone in the Garden, and I've learned this lesson from HIM!
You know what? I reckon that what happens here can't compare to what I have waiting there! I reckon that it's gonna be worth it all. I reckon that God is working it for my good. You reckon?
