Christ's Love Embraces Human Suffering

"Today's Devotion" For April 7, 2005

Read: I Corinthians 13; Psalm 36

CHRIST'S LOVE EMBRACES HUMAN SUFFERING

"Love...always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (I Cor. 13:4a, 7, 8a,13)

The doctor, an oncologist, went to visit a little girl dying of cancer. The girl was eight-years old. She was in excruciating pain almost constantly. No drugs could ease the burden any longer. The doctor, who had her own eight-year old daughter at home in bed, healthy and happy, full of life and the joy of living, could only express her own feelings of this little girl's suffering as "unjust, unfair, and unreasonable." Her own inability to stem the onslaught of the cancer, much less ease the girl's pain, was a heavy burden. Yet she was able to gain strength and confidence from the overpowering presence of the little girl's grandmother lying in bed beside her dying granddaughter. Her huge body embraced the inhuman suffering of her little granddaughter. The doctor's own words say a lot, "I stood in awe, for I knew I was standing on holy ground. The suffering of little children is horrifying beyond words. I will never forget the great, gentle arms and body of this grandmother. She never spoke a word while I was there. She was holding and participating in suffering that she could not relieve, and somehow her silent presence was relieving it."

If we're at all conscious of the world around us we see suffering and the ravages of Sin in the lives of people. People are hurting physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. They're lonely, depressed, homesick, and uncertain of the future. Alcohol, drugs, sex, and suicide all seem to answers to the pain people are feeling. Some turn into thrill seeking, risking their lives by doing intentionally high risk things in order to feel "alive" or to "prove themselves" to others. Feeling hopeless and helpless to do anything to change their situations in life, people are turning to these "escapes" to try, in some small way, to forget or end the pain in their lives.

For such people, the need to know God's love for them in Jesus Christ is so great that they're almost ready to "kill" themselves to obtain it. These are people sorely in need of the "agape" of God--His unselfish, all-encompassing love--which St. Paul describes in I Corinthians 13. We are people who have experienced God's "agape" for us in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross in our place, because of our sin. We are people who believe and know that their sins are forgiven and that God understands and has experienced every need, sorrow, and pain we've ever had. We believe that in His "agape" He gives us all that we need, as we need it, and often more than we need. Just as Jesus did for us, so also does He call for us who believe in Him, to "get into bed" with those in need of His love and "embrace the inhuman suffering" of their lives because of Sin, just as He has done for us. Our compassion, persistence, friendship, and Christ-like examples can make all the difference in the lives of those dying in their sins, for through each of us God touches others with His love in Christ. We can "be there" for those in need of Christ's love and forgiveness, just as the little girl's grandmother was "there" for her. Through the miracle of God's love and the power of His Spirit, we can help "bear" another's pain and relieve it.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You entered into my world and my life by sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to take on human flesh, put Himself under Your Law, and fulfill Your Will perfectly in my place. Jesus' suffering and death brought into Your heart every pain and sorrow that we human beings can ever experience. You know it all full well and have entered into my life with Your full and complete presence. Your love both surrounds me and embraces me. Your power enfolds me. Your forgiveness of my sins comforts me and gives me hope. As I have experienced Your love in Jesus, please also help me to see those who are hurting and in need of that same love and forgiveness You've given to me, and help to lead them to Jesus any way I can. Let my life be a living witness to Jesus, so that my example, my actions, my caring, and my prayers might help me to touch others with Your love. Father, I pray that You would send Your Spirit to work through me today that I may be an instrument of Your peace and a bearer of Your love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
********************************

--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.