Another Pine Box

Maybe I am beginning to grasp the grief Jesus felt. Maybe.

The charter plane landed. Me and 25 others, flags unfurled, formed a semi-circle of commendation to an already-aching family. The door opened. A lieutenant and a Sargent came down a short ladder. Immediately, a color guard made another pine box stable.

Cringing, the family crossed the runway. Assistance was given the thin, fragile grandmotherly woman. Some made strides to the casket. Others, distressed, had no longing to draw near, having been schooled in grief.

I am acquainted with a family member. She is inconsiderate, oblivious, and a throw-everything-to-the-wind soul. The family towed her to the pine box. Grief took charge. The wails were prolonged, perpetual, and, piercing.

The chaplain prayed. More tears and additional mourning flowed. A family member prayed. “Lord,” he said, “You tell us this is to be a happy day. All I am praying for is the strength to endure this adversity.”

The family turns to leave. The one I know is drug away. She struggled with them, loudly wailing. Family members restrained her.

I remembered Paul's words to the Thessalonians. “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorry as others who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). He was preparing believers for the inevitable pain.

Jesus knew the pain. He cared. “Now as he drew near, He saw the city and wept over it...” (Luke 19:41). John records Jesus' emotions when He visited Mary and Martha, Lazarus' family. “Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.”  (John13:33). Later John added, “Jesus wept.” (John 13:35).

Today, I think I suffered a sadness like Jesus did.

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Have you had a similar experience? Would you share it in the comment section?

Why Bad to Worse

Ever experience someone who could not stop being bad? People reason with them, but they will not listen. Nothing works.

Why will they not change? Today, I grasped an answer.

It is in Proverbs 17:4. "An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue."

Evil people do not follow watchful, loving men or women who recognize the inevitable consequences and endeavor to provoke change.

Instead, self-destructing humans, bent on being bad, solely pay attention to others voicing agitation, discord, depression, and grief. Like zombies, blundering along, they follow the directives of the discontented driving to desecration and disaster. (Is this selective hearing?)

When do people become selective for evil? Where is the proverbial 'point of no return'?

What does God do with the selectively evil? Two answers are:

• Hebrews 10:26-27 "26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries."
• Romans 1:28-32 "28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

Are you listening to God himself, solidly on good ground, gaining His grace, taking His advice, and struggling to imitate Him?

He Wept Twice

Borrowed from http://27.media.tumblr.com/

Twice Jesus was mournful.

Twice his emotions were visible.

Jesus was close to Mary, Martha and Lazarus, two sisters and a brother. In the early part of John 11, Lazarus dies. Jesus goes to the sisters to comfort them. He tells Martha He will raise Lazarus.

And then it hits Him. He already is experiencing Martha's sorrow. He saw Mary crying out. He saw others mourning and lamenting. "He was deeply moved". All this sorry agitated him and make him restless.

He wept.

Silently, He stood with tears flowing down His cheeks.

He hurts when His disciples hurt. He understood their pain. He, too, had possibly lost his father and felt their pain, even when He knew He would make things better very soon.

Jesus sees your pain. He knows those emotions. And today, as your heart and soul may be aching, He sobs. He will help you soon, but now He weeps with you.

A few days later, on the other side of the Mount of Olives, Jesus was riding a donkey. He was entering Jerusalem as a victorious king. People began cutting palm branches and waved them (palm branches to a Jew is like the 'Stars and Stripes' to an American). They placed these political symbols in front of His donkey to walk on. They started chanting an anti-Roman political statement, "Hosanna". The word means "God save us," from Psalms 118:25. These people with their 'flags waving' and demands for him to 'save them' was an appeal to Jesus to remove the Romans. Their statements were near treasonous. Luke's account recalls the Pharisees urging Jesus to make the crowd hush.

He rode a little further. He saw Jerusalem, the city.

He wept, again.

But this time He did not sob streams of tears. This time he cried out load. He mourned. He lamented.

Why?

The people had missed their chance. They were chasing a political idea that would lead to their destruction in 37 years. They were not chasing "what makes for peace," Luke 19:42. They chased politics instead of a spiritual leader.

Jesus hurts for people who miss His point. He cried when people try to gain  peace through sexual immorality, education, money, power, prestige, bragging, or envy. The Devil's ways do not bring peace. Sin in your life makes Him cry for you.

NO THING, NO IDEOLOGY, GIVES PEACE.

Jesus' way gives peace.

• "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace." John 16:33
• "Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1
• "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6
• "Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace..." Romans 14:19
• "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace,..." 1 Corinthians 14:33 
• "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace..." Galatians 5:22
• "...endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:3
• "...and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7
• "... having made peace through the blood of His cross." Colossians 1:20
• "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,..." Colossians 3:15
• "Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way." 2 Thessalonians3:16
• "Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:18

If you are not at peace, your must be following the wrong leader. STOP MAKING JESUS CRY!