“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life”
“’Everything is meaningless”, says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?’
Under the Sun or Under the Son?
by Gemma Gardner
1 John 5:12, NIV
Today's two verses stand in stark contrast to each other. The first is full of life and hope, the second one, full of doom and gloom.
The first 17 years of my life I spent living “under the sun”. My life was full of pain and sadness, and by the time I was 13 years old, I concluded that life was not worth living, and I tried to end it.
Four years later, the Gospel was explained to me, and I understood that God had created me for a purpose. He had chosen me, He loved me, and He had paid the full price in Jesus’ death to save me from my sins, and cleanse and heal me. I then started living “under the Son”. It’s been a long road to my healing, with many twists and turns and ups and downs, but oh, I’m so glad that Jesus did not let me end my life, and He has put His life within me and given me a purpose, and work to do for Him.
We all go through times of trial and suffering, and it’s so easy to fall into despair and think that God has abandoned us. At other times, we might find ourselves living “under the sun” because we have been disobedient to the Lord, or are harbouring wrong heart attitudes such as unforgiveness, resentment or bitterness. If you are feeling “under the sun” because of all the problems you’re facing, the Lord wants you to know that He is with you, and He will bring you through. If you are feeling “under the sun” because you are not in fellowship with Jesus for some reason, He loves you and wants you to come back to Him, so that He can restore you and give you back the joy of your salvation.
Prayer:Father, I thank You for the gift of life You have given me in Your Son, Jesus. Help me to truly live“under your Son” so that I will not be a victim of my circumstances, governed by the enemy who is at work in this world. I want to walk with You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
Gemma Gardner lives in Norfolk with her husband, Dean, who until recently worked at Ellel Grange. They are both part of the Associate Ministry team which Gemma joined after completing the Modular school. Gemma has experienced the Lord`s healing and restoration over many years and longs to see Him healing other broken people. Gemma loves listening to music, cooking, knitting and crochet as well as outdoor exercise. She enjoys playing guitar and singing worship songs.
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