Others- Peter-John Courson

Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane

As I posted last week Peter-John Courson is now a part of the extended More Than Coping family as he has agreed to allow me to link to his church and personal blog.  That also means I can grab articles like this and share them with you.  This article is something I believe speaks directly into our lives and even more directly to those who have or are suffering.  I pray God would bless you through PJ’s writing.  Allan

 

Hebrews 11:35b  … and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

“Others”.

A little word found in Hebrews 11 that changes everything.

Sure, Hebrews 11 tells us the incredible exploits of faith.

By faith Abraham became a father, the people passed through the Red Sea, Rahab survived the fall of Jericho.

By faith, Samson destroyed the Philistines, David felled the giant, women saw their dead children raised to life.

But how about the “others” (verse 35).

As in “others were tortured and refused to be released, faced flogging and put in prison, stoned and sawed in half”.

Why? For a “better resurrection”.

As awe-inspiring as the former feats of faith were, it was the faith of “others” who never saw the miracle or deliverance of a Samson or David that stands out…

Because better than the miracle for the moment or the deliverance for the day was the hope that they were holding to, which was eternal….a better resurrection.

A John the Baptist who had his head on a platter.

A courageous mother telling her sons, “it was not I who gave you life and death but the creator of all things, who in His mercy will give you life back again”, as she watched her sons slaughtered. And this ignited the Maccabean revolution in Jerusalem.

A Jonathan who died in the hills of battle while his friend David ascended to the throne.

A Savior who sweated blood but submitted to the cup that was His to drink.

And you know, today, for every testimony of a miraculous moment or divine deliverance there is the testimony of “others”. Those that hold on despite having not yet seen the miracle or deliverance take place.

And maybe that is the most robust faith of all.

Yes there are those that can attest to being healed of their cancer, marriages that are saved, jobs that instaneously open up, kids that turn around, finances that funnel in, ect ect…

Than there are “others”…those that have not yet seen those things yet hold on to their faith in hopes of a “better resurrection”.

Maybe God wants to do more in your life today than a miracle. That might be just a resuscitation. But maybe He wants to do more than a resuscitation. Maybe He wants to bring about a resurrection, a better resurrection.

…An eternal purpose that might well only be seen in light of eternity.

So today, you may see the moment of the miraculous or divine deliverance for the issues that are challenging you this day. Or…

Or you might be included in that great company simply classified as “others”, holding on in hopes of a “better resurrection”.