Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Crying with Jesus

I preached recently a Lenten message entitled, Is Jesus Still Crying? Lent is a time to focus on God, prayer, and sacrifice. It is also a time to take a look at suffering. You may wonder what suffering has to do with the Daniel Plan. Actually a lot. Our world is filled with suffering, and there is suffering in all of our lives. How we handle it plays out in our emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual well being

Jesus suffered and He understands our tears. There are two passages in Scripture that reveal Him actually weeping. Both take place on the Mount of Olives. On the eastern slope in a little town called Bethany we find Jesus weeping over the grave of His friend Lazarus. John 11:35 Jesus wept. On the western slope we find Jesus on Palm Sunday weeping over humanity’s sins. Luke 19:41Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it. One can’t help but wonder if Jesus is still crying today. The tears of our Lord speaks volumes to us in the dispensation of His grace. 

Jesus Weeps over our sorrows: He is touched by our broken hearts. We see the occasion of His weeping in John chapter 11. His friend Lazarus had died and his sisters Martha and Mary were very sad. You see tears touch God’s heart. When we hurt, are in pain, lose hope, brokenhearted, or lost – He weeps with us. Our great God is touched by our own hurts and brokenness. The psalmist says that God keeps our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). If you need attention try tears. We serve a Lord who weeps with us in our sorrows and is touched by our broken hearts. Jesus weeps with us,but He also desires to heal us. Remember what happens to Lazarus?  When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.

Wherever you are today in life know that God loves you and has a better plan for you. He wants to restore your heart, mind, body, and soul. The Lord promises, I will restore your health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord. - Jeremiah 30:17 You can change your life today. Strive for the faith, belief system, and healthy life God desires for you to have. That way you can love Him fully. 

Read The Daniel Plan by Rick Warren, and check out the Daniel Plan Website Here