Devotional 8-25-17

Jesus Wept

God promised that a Messiah would come to help the people. This covenant is a change in his approach. This savior would have human characteristics. He would have human emotions and understandings.  We have been studying God’s human characteristics in Sunday school.  When Jesus told how he was to die, Peter told him that he was thinking of the human point of view and not God’s point of view.  But, by knowing he had human emotions, we can understand his fear and yet his willingness to be a human sacrifice. His sacrifice would be for Mankind’s Sins.  We learn this in Matthew 16: 13-20.

Becoming a Christian has been a process for me.  Each time I face a human problem, I have to reason it to myself.  What do I believe?  I do not believe that God is a punishing God.  He did not cause misfortune to happen.  He gave me strength to face that misfortune.  Since God has human emotions, he feels my pain.  One of the most difficult things for all of us is to give up control.  When we do this, there is a peaceful feeling that does help.  Some people find that this comes easily, but not for me.  When I finally do, I wonder why I waited so long.

At the time of this writing, a member of my family has been in SICU on life support for over a month. We do not know the future.  I have learned to be patient, to take each tiny step for the positive as a blessing. I do know that Jesus is weeping along with us. He understands our pain and will be with us. Many people are praying for our family and it gives us courage to take each day.

I have always been a “fixer” and I know that it is not within my power to “fix” this, and I pray for God’s blessed shoulder for all of us to lean upon. He truly understands our pain. Lord, Hear our prayer.

Carolee Brown