Wednesday, September 27, 2017

September 27, 2017


Sorrow’s Companion


“While He was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before Him and said, ‘My daughter has just died.  But come and put Your hand on her, and she will live.’  Jesus got up and went with him, and so did His disciples.”  Mt. 9:18-19


Let’s put ourselves in the place of the ruler in this scene.  He is a father and his daughter has just passed away.  We can only imagine his grief and sorrow.  He finds Jesus and makes an amazing declaration of faith.  He does it out of the depths of his pain.  The next verse is the essence of this devotional – Jesus gets up when He hears the father’s request and He goes with the ruler.


This is what Jesus did and Jesus does.  He is sorrow’s companion, getting up and walking with the one who has suffered great tragedy and loss.  The Lord is love in action.  It is exquisite as love meets sorrow and accompanies it on the journey to joy.  Love listens to the heart of the grief stricken and responds to the sadness and the loss.  Love and sorrow walk together on a journey that is sacred and holy – yes, it has been set apart by God.  The journey takes as long as it takes and the whole time, love does not leave.  Love remains. 


Love and sorrow are journeying to joy.  Sorrow may not realize it, but love does.  Love clings close even when others fall away.  Love perseveres when the journey seems to be taking too long.  Love often doesn’t say much – it’s very presence is its ministry.   They walk the lonely miles together until they arrive at joy. 

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