As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. John 13:31-33
Imagine being a disciple, sitting in the room
with Jesus as he was speaking these words. For approximately three years, the
disciples’ lives had been devoted to simply following Jesus. They learned from
him, modeled his lifestyle, and had become dependent on his guidance. It must
have been such a confusing, scary, and challenging moment. While Jesus had
given the disciples plenty of warning as to his death, and had promised them
great hope for the future, the disciples simply could not wrap their minds
around the fact that their leader was physically leaving them. Today, we are blessed
to know how this story ends. However, that was not so for the disciples. Rather, this final conversation was a moment
in which the disciples had to trust that Jesus would see them through, despite
the fact that they did not know what their future would look like.
This week, I would like to share a poem written
in memory of my grandfather (written by my father, Rob Sturdivant). While
trusting in God now may look a little bit different than it did for the
disciples, the principle they modeled is something extremely relevant today.
The fact is, while we may sometimes feel like we are in a free-fall, God’s plan
is still underway. Likewise, we must put our trust in Him to see us through.
Why? To Wow!
Why?
Why did I get brain cancer?
I don’t know, but this I know…God is Good.
Why haven’t I been completely healed from
this cancer?
I don’t know, but this I know…God is Good.
Why wasn’t the surgeon able to remove all
of the tumor?
I don’t know, but this I know...God is Good.
Why didn’t Chemo and radiation stop the
tumor?
I don’t know, but this I know…God is Good.
Why have I had to endure this diminished
quality of life?
I don’t know, but this I know…God is Good.
Why have I had to endure the indignity of lost
physical and mental capabilities?
I don’t know, but this I know…God is Good.
Why have I been spared from even the
slightest headache from this brain cancer?
This I know…God is Good.
Why have I been surrounded by friends and
family to support me through this?
This I know…God is Good.
Why have so many people been given the
opportunity to share with me how I have touched their lives?
This I know…God is Good.
Why have I been blessed with a wife that
has a gift of caregiving?
This I know…God is Good.
Why have I been blessed with two beautiful
grandchildren this year?
This I know…God is Good.
Why have I been given the opportunity to
share Christ with new people brought into my life this year?
This I know…God is Good.
Why, in spite of my failings in life, have
I been chosen to be a child of God and a joint heir with Christ?
This I know…God is Good.
When at last this journey is over and God
calls me home, I will kneel down at his feet and declare…
This I know…my God is Good.
Wow!
I encourage you this week to reflect on the story
of the disciples in Jesus’ final moments. They had to place their trust solely
in Jesus, despite the fact that they did not know what their future would look
like. They had to remember as their teacher, friend, and Savior was being crucified,
God still had a plan in order. As you are going through life, perhaps there are
challenges that seem simply inexplicable. I challenge you, instead of fretting,
to place your trust in the Lord. While you may not know the why, you may hold
tight to the fact that through it all, God IS good.
Written by: Tamara Sturdivant/Rob Sturdivant
Edited by: De Ann Sturdivant
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