This morning, while driving to the office, I was thinking of and praying for people who are facing various types of grief and sorrow. One dear family has children and grandchildren who are answering God's call to the mission field on the other side of the world and dealing with the issue of separation as parents and grandparents is so hard. Another family of daughters and friends are grieving over the loss of a faithful mom who was a member for years in our Bible Fellowship Class. And yet, today a very dear friend learned of his father's death during the early morning hours. Every day, many prayer requests come to my desk from people who are suffering over loss of jobs, death of loved ones, death of a marriage, and other losses too numerous to mention in this brief column.
All too often, we tend to feel no one has experienced a grief quite like 'mine'. As my thoughts continued to hover over these precious people I personally know and pondered the pain of separation, the Holy Spirit directed my mind to the dark hill of Calvary. All of a sudden, it dawned on me the incredible pain our God would have experienced when He bid His one and only - His dearly beloved Son goodbye as Jesus left for earth, knowing what Jesus' experience would be because of the sin of mankind! The starkness of that thought brought a flood of tears to my eyes. The reality that this separation was worked out as a result of the submission of the Son to the Father's plan of redemption even before the foundation of this earth was laid hit hard! I was struck with how very long our Abba had carried that pain of expected departure in His great heart of love for the likes of me! I felt momentarily I could hardly bear the weight of that which I had never thought of before.
Gratitude and thanksgiving came pouring out of my mouth to God for the incredible compassion He is able to give to my friends because He KNOWS! The words of a blessed old hymn came softly as a balm to my heart:
Does Jesus care when my heart is pained too deeply for mirth or song. As the burdens press, and the cares distress and the way grows weary and long?
Does Jesus care when my way is dark with a nameless dread and fear? As the daylight fades into deep night shades, does He care enough to be near?
Does Jesus care when I've said "Goodbye" to the dearest on earth to me? When my sad heart aches 'til it nearly breaks, is it aught to Him?, does He see?
Oh yes! He cares, I know He cares; His heart is touched with my grief. When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares.
May the Lord take these few words and use them in your life for His glory and honor!