‘victory Over The World'

There is an old legend of a swan and a crane. A beautiful swan alighted by the banks of the water in which a crane was wading about seeking snails. For a few moments the crane viewed the swan in stupid wonder and then inquired: "Where do you come from?" "I come from heaven!" replied the swan. "And where is heaven?" asked the crane. "Heaven!" said the swan, "Heaven! Have you never heard of heaven?" And the beautiful bird went on to describe the grandeur of the Eternal City. She told of streets of gold, and the gates and walls made of precious stones; of the river of life, pure as crystal, upon whose banks is the tree whose leaves shall be for the healing of the nations. In eloquent terms the swan sought to describe the hosts who live in the other world, but without arousing the slightest interest on the part of the crane. Finally the crane asked: "Are there any snails there?" "Snails!" repeated the swan; "No! Of course there are not." "Then," said the crane, as it continued its search along the slimy banks of the pool, "You can have your heaven. I want snails!"

The Joy of Jesus is a now and an eternal result later. You can have heaven, or you can settle for the "snails" of this world. Choose.

B-IN THT DAY OUR PAIN WILL BE FORGOTTEN: V-21

21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

Jesus uses the metaphor of childbearing to teach this truth. He says, "When a woman is in travail (in labor) she has sorrow, because her hour has come." All you women know what Jesus is talking about here. The process of bearing a child is a painful one. "But when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world."

Dr. Art Ferry says “I’ve managed to see many mothers of new-born babies in the hospital soon after their babies were born. And when I have gone in and asked how they are doing, not once has a mother ever replied, "Oh man, this is a bummer! You know how painful it is to have a kid!" No, as Jesus says, she no longer remembers the anguish.”

That is immediately forgotten and in fact even becomes a mysterious ingredient of the joy she feels that a child, a person, has been brought into the world. (Jesus uses this metaphor to describe heaven, and how our suffering in this life will be transformed into joy when we see him again.

C-IN THAT DAY OUR PERCEPTION WILL BE FULL: V-23B

23B And in that day ye shall ask me nothing.

In that day of the future age, God will remove the bandages from or eyes and we will see and understand all. Understand all the suffering we had to go through, understand why God took that loved one, and understand why we had to go through sickness. In that day, we will know as He is known.

I read the story about a little boy who had been blind from birth. He had operation on his eyes, which allowed him to see for the first time. When the Doctor removed the bandages and he looked out the window and saw the beauty of the world for the first time, he cried out, Mother, why didn’t you tell it was so beautiful? His mother replied, son, that what I have been trying to tell you, how beautiful it is.