Never Alone

He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity. Isaiah 53:3

Pilate released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. Luke 23:25 (NIV)

REFLECTION:

We are really good at covering up, or denying...the pain in our lives.

Some of us choose to work harder and ignore the pain.
Some of us choose to put our heads down and power through.
Some of us turn to inspirational quotes and sayings to cover it up.
Some of us keep ourselves busy to avoid having to think about it.

But all of us, in one way or another, have perfected techniques at distracting ourselves from the difficult things, so we have to actually feel the pain as little as possible.

My fear is sometimes the church plays into this.

Yes, Sunday morning should be a time of joy as well; a spirited gathering of Kingdom workers.

But, it can also be a time when those Kingdom workers (that's you) gather to find comfort in a grace larger than themselves, a story older than their own, and a group that stands together through the hard times.

One of the most powerful things about the Isaiah passage above, as we read it each Good Friday, is that it points us toward a fundamental truth: We believe Christ was fully human. While the Isaiah passage is speaking of a "suffering servant," as Christians we believe that is pointing us toward Christ.

Have you ever felt rejected? Jesus, too, was rejected.
Have you ever felt despised? Jesus, too, was despised.
Jesus shares your suffering because he suffered.
Jesus steps into your illness because he was "acquainted with infirmity."

There are moments of suffering in every life, and while we often try to distract ourselves or cover it up when we are in the company of others, there are moments when it cannot be escaped.

So today, take heart. The message of the cross is that God himself has entered our suffering and stood with us, redeeming it and us from the inside out. You do not carry this cross alone. You do not suffer alone. And the present pain will never have the final say about you.

But for now, let us rest in the knowledge that there is no depth of suffering that is beyond God's reach. There is no pain we feel that isn't felt in heaven. God is with you. Now.

PRAYER:
Lord, we confess that when we ourselves suffer, we are tempted to react bitterly. May we look to you for the grace to bear our own suffering, especially when it is undeserved...and to trust that you walk every step of our paths with us, leading us to the freedom of Easter morning. Amen.*

Prayer adapted from one used in Moravian Daily Texts