For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. (2 Cor. 4:17).
Edward L. Branham tells us that while he was in an airplane high over an island in the South Seas a fellow passenger told him to look down. There, following the plane, was a huge rainbow--a complete circle instead of the usual arc. Inside the gorgeous circle was a dark cross, the shadow of the plane. Wherever the cross went, the rainbow went. So each of our afflictions is a cross, but each cross is surrounded with the rainbow of God's promise.
Afflictions are afflictions. They do afflict us, pain us, try us, test us. Call affliction by any other name, and it is still something hard to endure. But notice the contrast between the light affliction and the weight of glory. With the believer, all things are to be weighed in the scales of eternity, not in the short balances of time.
The ancient king could look at the motto on his signet ring, "This, too, shall pass away," and know that every troubled hour would end at last. But we can know that our afflictions will end in glory--exceeding glory. In the school of adversity the child of faith is prepared for the day of glory. He or she learns to compare the light affliction with the weight of glory--the moment with eternal ages.
Life is not a cloudless journey,
Storms and darkness oft oppress,
But the Father's changeless mercy
Comes to cheer the heart's distress;
Heavy clouds may darkly hover,
Hiding all faith's view above,
But across the thickest darkness
Shines the rainbow of His love.
__Flora Kirkland
MEDITATION PRAYER: "For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks" (Ps. 18:72).
Edward L. Branham tells us that while he was in an airplane high over an island in the South Seas a fellow passenger told him to look down. There, following the plane, was a huge rainbow--a complete circle instead of the usual arc. Inside the gorgeous circle was a dark cross, the shadow of the plane. Wherever the cross went, the rainbow went. So each of our afflictions is a cross, but each cross is surrounded with the rainbow of God's promise.
Afflictions are afflictions. They do afflict us, pain us, try us, test us. Call affliction by any other name, and it is still something hard to endure. But notice the contrast between the light affliction and the weight of glory. With the believer, all things are to be weighed in the scales of eternity, not in the short balances of time.
The ancient king could look at the motto on his signet ring, "This, too, shall pass away," and know that every troubled hour would end at last. But we can know that our afflictions will end in glory--exceeding glory. In the school of adversity the child of faith is prepared for the day of glory. He or she learns to compare the light affliction with the weight of glory--the moment with eternal ages.
Life is not a cloudless journey,
Storms and darkness oft oppress,
But the Father's changeless mercy
Comes to cheer the heart's distress;
Heavy clouds may darkly hover,
Hiding all faith's view above,
But across the thickest darkness
Shines the rainbow of His love.
__Flora Kirkland
MEDITATION PRAYER: "For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks" (Ps. 18:72).
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