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About Jesus - Steve (Stephen) Sweetman Not
A Rose Garden If you are of my age and
like country music you might recall Lynn Anderson's 1970 Grammy award
winning song "Rose Garden" written in 1967 by Joe South and
first recorded by Billy Joe Royal the same year.
In part it reads: "I beg your pardon I never promised you a
rose garden Along with the sunshine There's got to be a
little rain sometimes" Why do I begin a
Bible-based article with this country song?
It is because Jesus never promised us a rose garden either, a life
free from all kinds of frustrating negativities.
I was reminded of this last Sunday. After our service two of our
congregants collided with each other in a car crash.
It caused much damage to both cars, one of which was purchased
brand new six weeks earlier. Upon
hearing about this my heart sank as I prayed.
"O no. Why, Lord
Jesus, and especially right after church?"
With words I'd understand, His response was immediate.
"I never promised you a rose garden."
The cross of Christ
accomplished much but it did not nullify the frustrating negativities of
human existence that were set in motion as seen in Genesis 3. In
fact, all of creation suffers from these negativities as it waits for the
Revelation 21 New Earth. Read
Romans 8:20 - 21. "For the creation
was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of
the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation
itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the
freedom and glory of the children of God." Some believe that Jesus'
promise of a full abundant life (John 10:10) guarantees a prosperous,
healthy, wealthy frustration free life.
How does this square with Jesus telling His disciples that they
would experience trouble due to their association with Him (John 16:2). If
Peter, Paul and others expected a negative free life, they would have been
disappointed. That was not
their experience. Full abundance of life
promised by Jesus is a life of spiritual abundance which Peter and others
began to experience when the Holy Spirit entered them (Acts 2).
It's "the down payment of our inheritance" (Ephesians
1:14) that we'll fully realize in the Revelation 21 New Earth. I don't view my
recognition of life's negativities as being depressing because Genesis 3
tells me to expect them. This
helps me not to get overly bent out of shape when they occur.
I don't need to wrestle over wondering if God or satan caused them.
It's why Lynn Anderson's rendering of "Rose Garden" comes
to mind so often. Jesus didn't promise me
a rose garden. He promised me
Himself, and that in the midst of the weeds of my life.
Joe South was correct. "There's
got to be a little rain sometimes."
It's why Peter wrote that trials refine our trust in Jesus (1 Peter
1:7 and 9).
Scripture
References John 10:10 "The
thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may
have life, and have it to the full." John 16:2 "They
will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone
who kills you will think they are offering a service to God." 1 Peter 1:7 and 9 "These [trials]
have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth
than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in
praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed ... for you are
receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
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