Luke16:20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,
Luke16:21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
As I visualized it I thought: "Oh, do we really have to suffer like that, in order to enter the kingdom of God??"
Lazarus did not only have those sores, but he was also very poor - so he had no medical supply. With his sores he laid (that must have hurt) at the gate of the rich man. "Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores".
As i imagined it I felt nauseated by it but I also had compassion with this man... Such a poor man lying on his own sores, which were licked by dogs (that makes it worse I think).
So: Do we really have to suffer like this, in order to be allowed to enter the kingdom of God?
If we turn to Acts, Paul says:
Acts14:22“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
And Jesus himself tells us:
Luke14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
Luke14:27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
Luke14:33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
When I read these two verses, I sighed telling myself: "OK... there seems to be no other way to enter the kingdom of God..."
But as I continued reading the story and came to these verses:
Luke16:22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.
Luke16:24 “Then he [the rich man in hell] cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’
As I read these verses I realized, that the suffering of Lazarus was nothing compared to the comfort and glory he received afterwards. Then I thought: "Oh, this kind of pain on earth is worth to be suffered, in order to enter the kingdom of God."
Haha.. thanks to God, that I do not have to suffer like that. But as an encouragement:
Acts14:22“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
And compared to Lazarus, I think our tribulation is often lighter and not that painful:)
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Suffering is a way to refine us into solid gold and silver. Having go through the fire and water, we then become sanctified and so we could stand before Him in perfection when He comes to receive us again. =D
Malachi 3:3, Ps 66:10-12
God is merciful, and he promised that "13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Cor 10).
Our burdens are lighter than Lazarus perhaps because God knows we are not able to bear so much as Lazarus. Perhaps if we were Lazarus, we would be tempted to sin against God as written in Proverbs 30, "8...give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."
So thank God for his loving grace that He has spared us and only given us what we can handle in life, so that we can continue to seek after Him to glorify His name. :)
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