the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Truths to Live By - One Day at a Time
“I know thy…tribulation, and poverty.”
Seven times in His letters to the churches of Asia, the Lord Jesus says “I know” and usually those words are used in a favorable sense. “I know thy works…thy labour…thy patience…thy tribulation…thy poverty…and charity…and faith.” In those words “I know” there is tremendous comfort and sympathy and encouragement for God’s people.
Lehman Strauss points out that when Jesus said “I know,” “He did not use the word ginoske, which frequently means to know in the sense of realizing through progress in knowledge. He used the word oida, which suggests fullness of knowledge, to know perfectly, not merely from observation, but from experience. Though suffering saints are unknown to the world and hated by the world, they are known to the Lord and loved by Him. Christ knows the persecution and poverty of His own; He knows how the world looks upon them. Many a tired, tried, and troubled saint has been strengthened and encouraged by those two monosyllables, I know. Those two words uttered by our Saviour touch our troubles with the smile of God, and make this world’s suffering ‘not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us’ HYPERLINK "javascript:" .”
They are words of sympathy. Our Great High Priest knows what we are going through because He has been through it Himself. He is the Man of sorrows and is acquainted with grief. He has suffered, being tempted.
They are words of sharing. As the Head of the body, He shares the trials and persecutions of the members. “In every pang that rends the heart, the Man of sorrows has a part.” He not only knows intellectually what we are going through; He knows it as a matter of present experience. He feels it.
They are words of promised help. As our Paraclete, He comes alongside to bear our burdens and wipe away our falling tears. He is there to bind up our wounds and to drive back our foes.
Finally, they are words of assured rewards. He knows everything we do and suffer because of our identification with Him. He keeps a careful record of every act of love, obedience and patience. One day soon He will richly repay.
If you are passing through a valley of sorrow or suffering just now, hear the Savior saying to you, “I know.” You are not alone. He is with you in the valley, will bring you safely through, and will lead you safely to your desired destination.
'Truths to Live By - One Day at a Time' Copyright 2007 © William MacDonald. 'Truths to Live By - One Day at a Time' articles may be reproduced in whole under the following provisions: 1) You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. You may not use the material for commercial purposes. If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
