“Jesus wept” John 11:35
This was the Bible passage that many of us hoped to draw for our memory verse in 1964 when Pastor L.W. Heidemann was assigning us confirmation verses at St. John’s in Seward, NE. It is hard to imagine that the Son of God ever wept but while reading the news headlines these days it seems that this sinful world has many reasons to bring tears to the eyes of Jesus. Tears came to His eyes when He came to the tomb of Lazarus. Theologians assert that the tears of Jesus were tears of anger as He saw what the sin of this world had done to Lazarus. The tears of Jesus could have been tears of sadness at the thought of bringing Lazarus back to life as he had to come back to this sinful world.
The tears of Jesus were tears of compassion. One can imagine that Jesus might be smiling upon you for having compassion on this child who attends one of the Lutheran schools in Ouanaminthe. There may be a tear of joy as this child receives his daily meal, from you, in this sinful world. Thank you for showing compassion to the children being blessed by Trinity HOPE and consider the compassion that God had for you by sending His Son to die for you on the cross. The words from a Statler Brothers song seem like a wonderful way to close this devotion, hope that they will touch you and possibly bring a tear to your eye.
“There were tears in the eyes of Jesus; there were nails in the palms of His hands. There were thorns in his brow and only God could know how much pain he could withstand. There was blood all around the hillside as a mother mourned her loss, and we all stood to gain from the heavenly pain on the other side of the cross. On the other side of the cross, the side that no one could see; hung the Spirit of things yet to come, hung the future of you and me. And what He gave that day on the cross not one bit of love has been lost. Hold my hand, stand up and say if you were there on that day; on the other side of the cross.”
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay