«Inclina tu oído a mi clamor» [Salmo 88] El pasado lunes (25 de febrero), visité el hospital donde se encontraba enferma la señora Jeong Myeong-seon, esposa del difunto pastor Jeong Sang-woo. Al encontrar allí a su hijo mayor y a su nuera, pregunté si podía orar brevemente por ella; con su permiso, puse mi mano sobre su frente y oré junto a ellos. Mientras oraba, busqué la misericordia y la gracia de Dios. Aunque no podía comprender plenamente lo que sentían sus hijos, supliqué fervientemente a Dios que le concediera la gracia de recuperar la conciencia, aunque fuera por un instante, para que pudiera conversar con ellos. Al escuchar los sollozos de su hijo, simplemente rogué a Dios que respondiera a nuestras oraciones. Después, salí del hospital y me dirigí a la residencia de ancianos donde vive la *Kwon-sa* (diaconisa mayor) Park, pues sabía que ese día —el 25— era su cumpleaños número 90. Al llegar, la saludé mientras yacía tranquila co...
Bearing the Cross?
Then Jesus said to his disciples,
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross
and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)
John Calvin saw “bearing the cross”
as a mark of self-denial and Christian discipleship (Mt.16:24; Lk6:40;
1Pet.2:21-28). Not only is the cross the
place where sin is absolved and forgiveness found; it is also a symbol to him
of all of the adversities that Christians suffer while here on the earth. And such suffering and afflictions are
permitted by God to purify and perfect us.
It is to beat back our tendency to repose ultimate confidence in our own
flesh. God uses the many adversities of
life to expose our pride and to bring us to a place of humility before
him. We also learn to trust in the
sovereign God. In fact, God uses
“cross-bearing” to bring about changes in the Christian’s life and character,
“to test their patience and to instruct them to obedience” (Inst. 3:8:4). Moreover, past offenses and failures are
brought to the surface of our minds when we struggle under current
difficulties, which impress upon us the depth and gravity of sin and our need
to mortify it in our own lives (Ist.3:8:6). Thus, the earthly suffering is a necessary
part of life. And all the “crosses” are
ultimately for our benefit.
[From the article “Bearing the Cross: John Calvin and the Adversities of Life” by Marcus J. Serven in “MODERN REFORMATION”]
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