He talks about Job, and about how Job suffered and then desired the release from suffering that death would bring. He tells us that we shouldn't long for death the way Job did because we have better teaching than he did... we know better.
But friends... St John Chrysostom was right when he talked about how hard it is to suffer in the body. Nothing compares to it, he tells us. Having gone through a pretty rough year myself recently, with bodily suffering on a regular basis, I can attest to the fact that suffering in the body is hard... but it's also very good for us, if we respond to it correctly. "Whoever suffers in the body is through with sin," the New Testament tells us. And I've found that to be true.
Facebook is a great thing. Sure, there are drawbacks, as with anything in this world among human beings. But it allows us to spend time with friends all over the world on a daily basis. And when we need prayer, I've seen hundreds of people pray for a need... and I've felt the results of those prayers. But one thing you might want to prepare yourself for... our generation is on Facebook. And Facebook is connecting us. And we're all growing older, and our bodies are going to start having problems. We are going to hear more and more from friends who have ailments... from friends who are suffering... from friends who are passing away.
Fortunately, we have a faith that prepares us for this. We know that we can lift up our suffering and unite it with His. And we have a faith that prepares us for the time when we go to sleep... to rise again like Jesus did. We celebrate His rising from the dead today. And He was the first to do so... but He certainly won't be the last.
God, thank You for preparing us for suffering and death... and helping us make sense of them.
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