Suffering for...

Mt 20:22"You don’t know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup m I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered.

Mt 20:23 Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."

I received a sms from a friend tonight asking for prayers for the Christians suffering in India...even right now...some may even loose their lives for their faith.

No doubt all these seems distance..I seem to have chosen to distance myself. Distancing myself from real suffering, from reality. I have become master in Selective Hearing. I choose to respond to the good news but closes my ears to those who really are in needs. "But I'm only on person...what can I do?" "I don't know anything. Don't ask me."...are some of the standard answers that I make.

From Matthew 20:23...the highlighted...we will indeed drink from HIS cup. We will experience suffering if we come to terms and be serious with our faith...how prepare are we? How prepared am I? Following CHRIST and suffering comes hand-in-hand...for the LORD's sake.

But thank be to GOD...HE is a GOD who cares for HIS own and HE will hear my cry. Even as my LORD JESUS heard the cry of the two blind men (in Matthew 20:29-34) and showed compassion, I can be assured that HE will do likewise as I call upon HIM.

Psalm 23 is a great reminder that HE cares for me.

Ps 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

(HE is my LORD and HE is my SHEPHERD and there is nothing else that I really need)

Ps 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

(HE is SOVERIEGN. HE is all knowing. HE knows exactly what I need. My want. My desire. My hope...may not be what I need. But HE knows best. HE will MAKE me lie down in green pastures...HE nourishes me. HE provided for my hunger. HE leads me beside quiet waters...HE quench my thirst. The two very basic needs.)

Ps 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me

(As I walk thru' danger...HE is there. As PETRA once sang in their song "Road To Zion". It says "Sometimes a shadow dark & cold lays like a mist across the road, but Be encouraged by the sight, where there's a shadow there's a light ." Indeed, where there are shadows there will be light. The LORD is with me. With HIM being my SHEPHERD...I fear no evil. Whatever evil. For greater is HE who is in me than him who is in the world. Moreover I Cor 10 : 13 says

No 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.

Yes, the loving and gracious LORD will now allow me to be tempted, tested above what I'm able to bear. How much can I bear? I don't know. Only GOD the heavenly FATHER knows. I just have to rely on HIM and HIS wisdom and HIS grace and HIS mercy and HIS care and HIS love and HIS comfort and HIS peace.

With all this in mind and that we are called to "drink HIS cup". I have should find rest and peace and directions and hope even as I go thru' any form of trials. It is also thru' trials that I can be refined...to be more like CHRIST.