“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.
Luke 21:12-19 (NIV)
Whether watching a television show, video, or movie or reading a book, everyone likes happy endings, where the main characters triumph over tragedy and overwhelming odds. We like to see the hero or heroine get justice or some other reward. Ultimately, we like to see evil soundly defeated and, at times, completely illuminated. We want the events to happen this way because, in real life, there are few happy endings.
The bad news is that things are not going to get better – yet. In this reading, he warns His followers that they will be persecuted, arrested, and killed because of Him in the end times. But He also reassures them that those who remain faithful to Him during the difficult times will definitely experience a happy ending. If your present struggles seem overwhelming, take hope as you read this passage – God’s story has a truly happy ending. Blessings!