Not in Vain

“Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?” (Luke 24:38)

What is your reaction when things don’t turn out the way you expect them to?

That job offer didn’t come.

That pregnancy was a false alarm.

That project didn’t materialize.

That marriage didn’t take place.

Do you worry? Do you doubt? Do you question?

This was the reaction of the disciples in today’s Gospel. When they saw the risen Christ stand before them, instead of rejoicing, they began to question.

You see, they didn’t expect things to turn out the way they did.

The events of the first Holy Week were too fast for them. They were confused. They were emotionally battered and mentally drained.

In the first place, they didn’t expect their master to die. And because of this, they obviously didn’t expect their master to rise from the grave as well.

And so when everything they didn’t expect took place, their reaction was one of doubt and pessimism. That’s why Jesus said to them:

“Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?” (Luke 24:38)

My friend, sometimes things will not turn out the way you expect them too. But today, God wants to remind you that He is still in control. That He has not gone AWOL. That He is still present. That everything is still part of His wonderful plan for your life.

That is the message of Easter. About a God who is always in control. About a God who is powerful enough to defeat death and is thus powerful enough to take care of your life. About a God who can be trusted to fulfill His promises in your life but in His own way and in His own time.

Today, I encourage you to stop worrying and start believing. I assure you, your faith will not be in vain.

Happy Easter!

Saved by the Resurrection,

Bobby Q.

GOOD FRIDAY REFLECTION: On Behalf of the World

“…I thirst…” (John 19:28)

I can imagine a God who is awesome. I can predict a God who is powerful. I can also grasp the concept of a God who is all-knowing and ever-present.

But a God who thirsts?

Isn’t God supposed to be perfect? Complete? Lacking nothing? But when He thirsts, it means that there is a need that has to be filled, right? Can God lack anything?

No. Unless He is a God who speaks on our behalf.

On behalf of a world that is thirsty.

On behalf of the wife who thirsts for relief from the pain of losing her husband to cancer.

On behalf of the unemployed who thirsts for a job so he can feed his family.

On behalf of the stroke patient who thirsts for a cure.

On behalf of the orphan who thirsts for a brighter future.

On behalf of the rape victim who thirsts for justice.

On behalf of the sinner who thirsts for a fresh start.

And that was exactly what Jesus did on the first Good Friday.

On that day, all the sins of the world, both those done in the past and those yet to be committed, were all plastered on Jesus’ soul, making Him, not just carry sin but becoming sin for all of us. Because of this, for a brief moment, Jesus suffered all the temporal consequences of sin — including thirst.

Because of this, Jesus spoke on our behalf, crying to the Father, and begging Him to quench the thirsts of a dying a world.

I invite you today to go to Jesus and seek from Him life-giving water, the same water He spoke about to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well —

¹³Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)

Today, Good Friday, it will be good to confront our own thirsts —

— for peace of mind

— for courage to try again

— for the grace to forgive

— for the strength to rise again

Give all your thirsts to Jesus. Let Him who is perfect and complete speak on your behalf. And through Jesus’ merits, the Heavenly Father will pour upon you the life-giving water that you need.

Then, you shall never thirst again.

Have a blessed Good Friday!

Bobby Q.