Today’s Reading: John 16:5-6 (NIV)
5 [Jesus said,] “Now I am going to Him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief.”
Good morning!
If you’ve ever lost someone you love, then you probably understand the stunned silence of Jesus’ disciples that day, as He spoke these words. When grief grips us, it is hard to find the right thing to say to express our deep sadness. Their very best friend was preparing to die. He is their mentor, teacher, healer, prayer partner, and Savior. The disciples didn’t understand why Jesus had to leave, after only three short years together. Where was He was going and how would they ever find Him again? What would you say to someone you love, knowing they are slipping away from this world to the next, and there is nothing you can do to stop it from happening?
Every human heart understands the universal language of grief. On September 11, 2001, people around the world held hands and prayed for the people who were suffering in New York City. Thousands of lives were lost in this hateful act of terrorism. An outpouring of grief wrapped itself like a blanket, uniting people from different countries. We did not know each other, but we knew the pain of our common loss and despair, and that made us one. There were no words to say as we watched in horror, as death and destruction settled over the city in a blanket of ash. People were searching for their spouses, their children, their parents, hoping to find a miracle within the rubble. As the cleanup progressed, two structural support beams miraculously remained intact, even as the Twin Towers collapsed. Raised high above the city ruins, the cross that was pulled from the rubble of the World Trade Center still stands today.
As Christ prepared His heart to carry the sins of the world to Calvary, He understood the disciples’ grief. Jesus knew the cross would stand firm forever; that it would supernaturally bind the hearts and minds of the millions who would come, seeking His love, forgiveness and grace. On this day, there is only one Word to offer those who are looking for hope in the midst of their grief, and that Word is Jesus.
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO
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