A Spectacle Of Glory #52

Read: Philippians 3:10-11

Here’s an understatement: Battling stage III breast cancer is no fun. One day when my husband, Ken, was driving me home from chemotherapy, we discussed how sufferings are “splash-overs of hell”—gritty, gut-wrenching reminders of the horrors Christ rescued us from. As Ken pulled into our driveway, we then wondered, “What are splash-overs of heaven? Are they easy, bright times when everything’s going right?” After a long silence, Ken looked at me and with wet eyes whispered, “No, Joni. It’s when we see Jesus in our splash-over of hell.”

For reasons known only to himself, the Father calls us to intimacy with His Son on His terms—and those terms call for us to suffer, in some measure, as His Son did while He was on earth. Yes, suffering may seem like a high price to pay for having Christ as a confidant. But He is ecstasy beyond words. It’s worth anything to be His friend.

Lord, I’m thinking about the words of a song—“I am a friend of God . . . He calls me friend.” But being Your friend is more than a light, happy, bouncy song. That friendship came at an unspeakable price. You suffered and gave Your very life, so I could be forgiven, adopted as Your daughter, and blessed to experience Your friendship forever.