In one of Tim Keller’s sermons about easter he says this. What does Paul mean when he says, “The Resurrection is going to swallow up the suffering and evil you’re going through right now”? Here’s a very imperfect illustration from my own life.

Many years ago I had a horrible nightmare. I’m not sure if the dream came from something I ate or a movie I’d watched, but I usually don’t retell this dream with many details because it was really an awful dream. I dreamt my entire family had been slaughtered. But then I woke up, and my entire family was right there. I really love my Read more…

Johnny, a very bright five-year-old, told his daddy he’d like to have a baby brother and, along with his request, offered to do whatever he could to help. His dad, a very bright thirty-five-year-old, paused for a moment and then replied, “I’ll tell you what, Johnny. If you pray every day for two months for a baby brother, I guarantee that God will give you one!” Johnny responded eagerly to his dad’s challenge and went to his bedroom early that night to start praying for a baby brother. Read more…

A father was related this story. I was sitting at my desk in my study after having scolded my 4-year-old daughter for misbehaving. I heard a gentle knock on the door. “Come in,” I said.

Bethany entered and then matter-of-factly said, “Daddy, sometimes I am good, and sometimes I am bad. And that is just the way it is.” Then she left the room just as summarily as she had come in, acting as if she had completely explained her misbehavior for all time. Read more…