He Still Knows What it is Like

He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him. Isaiah 53:3 (Amplified Bible)

What is it you take to Jesus today? Is it ever feelings of being seen as worthless and contemptible by others? Rejection and physical or mental pain? Grief and sickness of soul? Feelings of being forgotten, forsaken, and unthought of? We live in a fallen world in the midst of fallen people. Their negative words and actions toward us can often shape the view we have of ourselves and leave us feeling deeply hurt and in pain. If that is you this morning, Jesus has a message for you from today’s verse.

He wants you to know that He experienced the same thing when He walked on this earth and although it was to a greater extent, it does not minimize in His eyes the depth of what you are feeling. He does not let you know of His painful experiences in order to down play or down size your own, but rather to let you know He understands more than any one the full extent of your grief, pain, and difficulty. He, more than anyone, enters into your situation and stays with you. From Him you will never receive unattentiveness, disinterest, or distraction. He gives to you what no person was fully able to give to Him…undivided attention and a full knowledge of where and why you are hurting.

He also wants you to know the words of Isaiah 53:3 not only describe what He experienced here on earth over two centuries ago, but it is what He still experiences from mankind even in the present. He is still despised and rejected by the very ones He reaches out to. He is still fully acquainted with grief and sorrow of heart. He still has people who turn away from him, lack appreciation for Him, and think little of Him. And He feels the way we feel when it happens to us. So when you pour your heart out to Him and share the sorrow with Him, He knows and is filled with compassion for you.

He knows that in this world we have trouble. He knows that we respond to the things we hear, see, feel, and taste of this life. He knows how fragile our internal world is. He knows we lack the ability to see beyond our present circumstances. That is why this morning, I can picture a hurting person being held by Jesus. Gently rocked and tenderly spoken to like a mother with a small child. Held closely and being told, “Precious child of Mine, I hurt with you and I speak My peace and compassion over you.” If we let Him, He will speak the words we need to hear. They will be like balm to our soul. Words of healing and wholeness. Words of understanding. He is a personal God who knows us intimately and takes in every detail of our life.

Jesus, I lift up hurting individuals to You. Convey to them the full meaning of my words this morning. Speak to them as only You can. Amen.

When Others Hurt

I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you. But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief. Job 16:4,5 NKJV

When we experience difficulty, loss, or grief in any amount we long for someone to come along side us to strengthen and comfort us with their words. Often the ones to do that best are the ones who have been in our place of pain. They bear the scars, recall the wounds, and know the ache. They reach out to us in a way that very few can. It goes beyond mere sympathy or pity. They KNOW how we feel and actually enter into our situation emotionally. With them we feel safe to open up and verbalize what is going on inside us. We know they will not think less of us, label us, or brush us off. We know we will see in their eyes and hear in their words a kindred spirit. They will connect with us in a special way because our story will have traces of their own.

God has been faithful to bring such individuals into my life at just the right moments. While He assures me He will walk through all difficulties with me, He also lets me know He will bring others along side of me to listen, empathize, and speak words of healing to me. I can always tell that they have been where I am at. Their circumstances may have been different but the effects were the same. Because of what God has brought them through, they now walk with wisdom and love. They are willing to open their arms, hearts, and ears to others who hurt. May God bless them and increase their kind on the earth.

I want to join their ranks! Knowing how they have ministered to me, I now want to minister to others. It will require some things. It will mean being open to the needs of others. Allowing God to show me when someone is hurting and being willing to invest the time to hear their story, sense their pain, and speak words that will comfort and relieve. Letting them know I have been where they are at and assuring them they will be okay will validate their feelings and give them hope. I rest in the fact that my past experiences will keep my words from sounding hollow and heartless. Each time I am able to reach out to another individual who is hurting and sense that it is helping will be an opportunity for God to redeem my own story of loss or pain. I will see Him graciously giving me beauty for ashes! They in turn will someday do the same.

Father, thank you for each person who has reached out to me during the darkest times of my life. Their words and actions made a profound difference to me. Help me to now be that to others. Open my eyes, ears, and heart to the hurting, hopeless, and helpless. Amen.

It Always Leads to Actions

But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him, and when he saw him, he felt compassion. Luke 10:33

An Israelite is leaving Jerusalem and heading for Jericho. On the way he is robbed and badly beaten….even left for dead. A priest and Levite both see him but ignore his plight. They have no sense of responsibility to get involved. A Samaritan sees the same thing they see, a person in desperate need of help, and he feels compassion. To him, it doesn’t matter that he has places to go, people to see, and things to do. He felt compassion and compassion is always the catalyst for action.

It is incredible to see the list of things this Samaritan does for a fellow human being. If you are not familiar with this story take a moment and read Luke 10:30-37. I don’t know if he planned to do all the things he did or if along the way he did something and then kept asking himself, “Is there something else I can do?” Each thing he chose to do took more time and investment on his part. And when he was finished we never read whether or not the person he helped ever thanked him or even saw him again. We just know that his compassion was displayed in tangible and multiple ways. Maybe he had been in that situation of need himself at one time. Or maybe a loved one had been in a similar plight. Whichever the case may be, his compassion and his actions leave us a rich example to follow.

We live in a world that is full of needs. People are hurting and in need of help. It may be physical, spiritual, social, economical, emotional, or mental help they need. They are in our homes, our churches, our work place, and our community. Are we in tune enough with God and people to see the needs around us? Compassion always leads to involvement….otherwise it is simply pity. Many times in Scripture we read how Jesus was moved with compassion and then actions followed.

I am asking myself this morning, do those words mark what I did yesterday? Did I notice anyone in need, feel compassion, and then become involved? It does not have to be just in the area of finances. Did I listen when someone needed a sounding board? Did I embrace a person who just needed a hug? Did I write a note of encouragement? Did I do something besides notice and just pass by?

Father, today, help me to see the needs of those around me. Give me insight, compassion, and practical ways to minister to others. Amen.