The future history of Christians, both in life and death, is foreknown by Christ. The Lord tells Simon Peter, "When you are old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you, and bring you where you do not want to go." These words, without controversy, were a prediction of the manner of the Apostle's death. They were fulfilled in after days, when Peter was crucified as a martyr for Christ's sake. The time, the place, the manner, the painfulness to flesh and blood of the disciple's death were all matters foreseen by the Master.
The truth before us is eminently full of comfort to a true believer. To obtain foreknowledge of things to come would, in most cases, be a sorrowful possession. To know what was going to befall us, and yet not to be able to prevent it would make us simply miserable. But it is an unspeakable consolation to remember that our whole future is known and fore-arranged by Christ. There is no such thing as luck, chance, or accident, in the journey of our life. Everything from beginning to end, is arranged by One who is too wise to err, and too loving to do us harm.
Let us store up this truth in our minds, and use it diligently in all the days of darkness through which we may yet have to pass. In such days we should lean back on the thought, "Christ knows this, and knew it when He called me to be His disciple."
It is foolish to repine and murmur over our troubles. We should rather fall back on the thought that Jesus does all things well. It is useless to fret and be rebellious, when we have bitter cups to drink. We should rather say, "This also is from the Lord. He foresaw it, and would have prevented it, if it had not been for my good."
Happy are those who can enter into the spirit of that old saint, who said, "I have made a covenant with my Lord, that I will never take amiss anything that He does to me." We may have to walk sometimes through rough places on our way to Heaven. But surely it is a comforting, soothing reflection, that "Every step of my journey was foreknown by Christ!"
[J. C. Ryle]
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Jeremiah 29:11 ... For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Isaiah 30:21 ... And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
1 Corinthians 16:6 ... And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.❤
