Peace amid Pain - Salvation from God (2)

Second: Such Hope compensates for all our losses. Frequently, we grieve because we lost or missed things; we might lose a part of our dignity and our pride, or loss some of our profit and wealth, or even lose a person in the family. What do we lose here?! And what does all of this equal to when compared to the inheritance awaiting us: “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1Peter1:4).

This inheritance is characterized by three descriptions. It is an incorruptible inheritance which means it will not get lost; it can’t be undefiled which means it will not lose its effectiveness, or be defiled, this means that it will not decay and that its luster will not go away. These three things are the things that Lord Jesus himself mentioned when He talked about the earthly treasures saying: ““Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Mathew 6:19)

The earthly treasure sours for three reasons.
First: Rust makes it lose its brightness, beauty and shine.

Second: Moth does not make it lose its outer form but makes it fragile from the inside. You may not lose your car or your house or any of your properties but you lose your enjoyment in them.

Third: The robber makes the treasure lose its preciousness.

Everything the world gives is subject to rust or moth or theft; whereas the inheritance we are going to get will not perish and will not defile or decay.

That’s why Apostle Paul said: “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3: 7, 8).

This hope gives us certainty for compensation to our sufferings, he says also: “joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods.” Can anyone rejoice when his goods are spoiled? We will find the answer when we continue the verse: “joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven” (Hebrews 10:34).

My dear, when you lose something, remember that: “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come” (Hebrews 13: 14) and remember also that you will not be able to live happily if you don’t have this hope; for “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

Magdy Samuel