Reading:
For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, but Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
(1 Corinthians 1:22-25)
For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
(1 Corinthians 15:52-55)
Meditation:
It took three days for the Son of God to rise from the dead. On the Saturday after he died, the disciples were totally hopeless. What had happened to the Christ, their Messiah, who was supposed to rescue them? How could he have died? Surely, they were only fools. But of course, on the third day, it was revealed that they had been right to place their hope in Jesus.
God’s wisdom is not rushed, and his power is not goaded into being exercised. The promises of God remain promises until they are fulfilled. Sometimes waiting on the promises of God feels like a never-ending Saturday. Sometimes we find ourselves thinking, “God, where are you in all of this?”
But the real question is not, “What is going on now?" Instead, the real question is, “What will prevail in the end?” In fact, that is the nature of wisdom—to discern the bigger picture, to have a sense of the longview.
And that means that the wisdom of God given to us in Jesus is the basis of hope. That is, our faith in God is wise because his promises will prove true in the end. And that is a hopeful place to be. Even in dark days that do not seem to end.
But how long is long enough? Are we simply looking for when things will go back to normal? A month from now? Two months? No. To endure the ups and downs, the tragedies and failures, the sin and the shame—no, we need a much bigger hope. We need a much greater wisdom. We need a much bigger power. We need the hope of the resurrection.
“Then shall come to pass the saying…” That is the character and quality of the Christian hope. “Then shall come to pass…”
Prayer:
Father, we long for the day when all will be made right. We look to Jesus who conquered death and invest our hope in him. We wait for you. We wait to hear those words for ourselves, the voice which says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Be merciful to us now. Have compassion on the sick and the weak. Send your healing to our land, O God of our salvation!
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Amen.