Charlyne Cares Daily Devotional - Helping Stop Divorce God's Way

 

Each Monday in Charlyne Cares we share a devotional written by a fellow stander. Guidelines for submitting an original devotional can be found at - http://rejoiceministries.org/ccsubmit.html

He Weeps

"Jesus wept." John 11:35

This is the shortest verse in the Bible, but also one of the most important. It epitomizes God's love for His servants and His compassion for His children. Through this verse we come to know that we have a Savior who loves us. He sees our tears and He feels our pain. He sees our circumstances and sets to work on our behalf. He sends His comfort, strength and guidance when we ask. He knows what lies in our hearts and He hurts when we hurt.

When the stone is rolled in front of the grave as another marriage ends in divorce, Jesus weeps. As a father walks out on children who need him, Jesus weeps. As a mother turns her back on her family, Jesus weeps. As a child prays for his daddy to come home or a teenager falls into rebellion because of what has happened in their lives, Jesus weeps. As another prodigal attempts to fill the hole in their heart with a different spouse, Jesus weeps. As one more stander says "This is too hard. I give up," Jesus weeps. As prayers become less frequent and other idols take the place of God, Jesus weeps.

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16

There are times in our stand where comfort is hard to come by. We pray, we fast, we read our Bibles. But none of these things seem to make a difference. We feel that we will never know love again. That is until we think on our Savior and the sacrifice He made for us. We remember the rejection and ridicule He endured, and we understand He knows what we are feeling. We read about the Garden of Gethsemane when even His disciples could not keep watch for one hour, and realize that He knows our loneliness. We picture the nail-scarred hands and the sword-pierced side and we know He feels our pain. We see Him as He stands outside the tomb of a very dear friend and we know He sees our tears.

"The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving- kindness." Jeremiah 31:3

This walk IS hard and this road IS rocky. Sometimes we wonder if anyone even cares about us or what we are doing. When we go for days, months, even years without communication, it's hard to believe that we have not become like broken pottery, useless and discarded, rejected and unloved. For even our close friend, whom we trusted, has lifted up his heel against us. We look for comforters but find none. The loneliness pervades our souls and we wonder if we will ever again find joy in our lives. This is when Jesus steps in. He has been watching from Heaven, weeping with us and for us. It is now, in the heart of our troubles, that He shows His heart to us.

As Jesus prayed for His disciples, so He also prays for us.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." John 17:20-21, 24-36

We may dwell for a time in the valley, but Jesus promises us a mountaintop. We may walk a rocky road for awhile, but Jesus promises to walk it with us. We may live in a world caught up in the enemy's lies, but Jesus shows us the truth. We may live for a time with a marriage that is dead and rotten in the grave, but Jesus promises us a resurrection.

"Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" John 11:40

Jesus is the answer - to everything. He is the answer for our hurt; He is the answer for our pain. He gives us comfort and strength when we need it. He gives us wisdom and guidance when we ask. He lifts us up from the ashes and dust and promises He will never leave us. He goes before us to light the way and sends His angels to lift our feet so they do not strike a stone. He sees our tears, knows our pain and weeps with us. This is the One who gave His life for us. What more can we ask for?

"When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." Psalm 94:17-19

God Bless,
Kim, standing in Nebraska
Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
Post Office Box 10548
Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USA
http://rejoiceministries.org  
Bookstore- http://rejoiceministries.org/r.php?num=tizwl  
Stop Divorce Radio- http://rejoiceministries.org/r.php?num=2bg1e  

Devotional Copyright© 2008 Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.

Scripture quoted by permission and are from the Holy Bible; New International Version® Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.