“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever…” (Selah, pause and think quietly upon this – this whole day, moment by moment, minute by minute…)
With a heart that weeps, with great sadness all around…I open my devotions to C.H. Spurgeon, to help me understand what to do with great clouds of sadness when holiday gatherings and festivities abound:
“JESUS WEPT. John 11:35. Lazarus was dead, but Jesus was going to raise Him (John 11:11). Lazarus/ resurrection was at hand, yet Jesus wept (John 11:35). We are sometimes told that if we really believe our friends will rise again, and if we really believe they are safe and happy, then we should not weep. Why not? Jesus did.
And there cannot be any error in following Jesus’ example. Jesus knew that Lazarus’ death was for God’s glory. He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). Still He wept.
Have you ever thought it wicked to weep at a loss that will glsorify God? It is not wicked. If it were, Jesus would not have wept under similar circumstances. Tears, which might have been regarded as contraband, now have free admission into the realm of holiness because “Jesus wept..”
Dear friend, you may weep because “Jesus wept.” He wept with the full knowledge of Lazarus’ happiness, with the full knowledge of his resurrection, with the firm assurance that God was glorified through this death. We may not condemn what Christ allows. If you can weep and thank God, if you can weep and know that you are in His presence, then your weeping is not sinful. Let your tears roll in floods. This is good instruction.
May the Holy Spirit teach us. May the Lord write it on every weeper’s heart. you may weep because “Jesus wept.” (From C.H. Surgeon, Beside Still Waters).
So, I flip the page, and my tears do flow, but I read on and the Comforter touches me, to the depth of my soul:
“DO NOT BE TROUBLED. John 14:1. “All too often, we believers watch the gathering clouds and forecast storms and anticipate troubles. Some of us confess that times of depression are coming. We see our business slipping away, and we worry about the future. We worry about our children, for we see the various tendencies in young people, and we worry about the way they will go. Our health declines, and we wonder what to do when the disease gets worse. Yet our Lord Jesus Christ concels us, “Let not your heart be trouble” (John 14:1).
Do not fear! Has not God helped you in every plight already? When we cast our cares on the Lord, to do as He wills, at no time will He be unkind. He will never put us in the furnace unless He intends to purge our dross, and the furnace will not be one degree warmer than is absolutely necessary. Mercy will always balance misery; strength will always support burden. The Lord is our friend; He will never be our foe.
Cheer up! “Do not fear little flock,” shake off your fears and rejoice, “for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). The road may be rough, but the end is sure. We are going to the kingdom, to a land where all the believers will be princes and kings. Take heart. What difference does it make if our accommodations are sparse, if the passage is rough, if the winds boisterous? There is a kingdom ahead? Make the best of the voyage. Do not be fainthearted, but sing:
‘With a bag on my back and a staff in my hand, I march on in haste through an enemy’s land; The way may be rough, but it cannot be long, So I’ll smooth it with hope, and I’ll cheer it with song.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Beside Still Waters).
So in quiet time with Jesus, I wept with Him still, and I read on in devotion with my heart weak and frail. And He Comforted me and met me right where I am, (Past tense and present) and He says, “Take hold of My hand. I will lead you, I will guide you, I will fill you with all you need. Trust me, dear child. You are Mine, and I Am yours,… for now and always, for all eternity! Yes, I Am yours and you are Mine…weep if you must, but Remember always, I AM the broken Bread, and the poured out wine. Hungry and empty? I Come to fill you FULL – be filled with my Fullness of Spirit from above, be filled to overflowing with faith, hope and love. But if ‘your heart and flesh fail’, don’t fret, it only causes harm, but remember always, I AM the ‘strength of your heart and your portion forever’. I love you today, I love you tomorrow, I will be with you in joy and I am a present help in your sorrow.” (Jesus).
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