What does it feel like to be on death row? What fills the mind and heart of a prisoner waiting for execution? Paul says he knows. In 2 Corinthians 1:9 he says, “we felt that we had received the sentence of death”. What a picture of hopelessness! We can only speculate on what caused a man like Paul to come to such a state. Some say it was the constant opposition he faced. Others think it was physical illness. Perhaps it was a combination of things that finally became so overwhelming that Paul just lost hope. The good news is that God raised him from the dead! His hope and strength returned. Resurrection is not just something that happens someday in heaven. It is the work of God now. “The God who raises the dead!” (vs 9)is His name. One of the ways we learn to rely on Him is to go through times when we feel as hopeless and powerless as a prisoner on death row.
“… not just someday … It is the work of God now.” These thoughts always fascinate me. Those in Christ can consider themselves already in the new life, already living in eternity – it’s that certain. (Did I get that right?)