Sunday, May 1

May the God who gives hope fill you with all joy and peace.Rom. 15:13.

God-given hope enables us to endure tests of faith. Anointed ones who prove ‘faithful even to death will be given the crown of heavenly life.’  Integrity-keepers with an earthly hope will enjoy eternal blessings in the promised global Paradise. These prospects fill us with joy and peace, as well as love for the Giver of “every good gift and every perfect present.”  We may be deeply saddened by the death of a loved one, but because of the God-given resurrection hope, ‘we do not sorrow as those do who have no hope.’ Out of love, Jehovah God yearns to resurrect the dead, especially faithful ones, like upright Job. Imagine the joyous reunions when resurrected ones are welcomed back to life here on earth. How our hearts swell with love for our heavenly Father, who has given us the marvelous resurrection hope!

COMMENTARY

Some people find it difficult to believe in a resurrection. It just seems out of the realm of possibility that a person who is dead and gone can ever come back.

But since the God who originally created life makes the guarantee that the dead will live again we ought to accept him at his word.

Life is incredibly complex. But basically everything on earth is made from the simple 70-80+ elements. Like Genesis states: God made man from the dust of the earth. Those elements are organized in a very specific way and energized with a spirit of life-force. Scientists know quite a bit about the organization of genetic material that determines our individuality —having mapped and cataloged the human genome. Should we doubt that the Creator is also capable of recording the exact chromosomal make-up of every human who has ever lived? Why should that be deemed impossible?

But we are more than genetic material. Over the course of a lifetime we learn and develop and remember our experiences. We develop a personality. With computerization, a person’s life experiences and thoughts can be stored in great detail as written words or recorded as audio and video. Should we doubt that the Creator has unlimited cloud storage capacity to remember every individuals’ thoughts and memories, even if we sometimes forget?

There are an uncountable number of stars in the cosmos, and yet the Creator assures us that none have gone missing before him, as he calls each by its name.

Although those who have passed may slowly fade from our memory, God does not forget. He remembers everything. And that is a good thing.

“Remember how short my life is! Was it to no purpose that you created all humans? What man can live and never see death? Can he save himself from the power of the Grave?” – Psalms 89

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