One of the most difficult things for we as followers of Jesus to grasp is not necessarily his divinity, but his humanity.
The fact that Jesus slept, ate, had human bodily functions, was tempted by greed and sex like we are, is very, very unnerving to many.
Here's what I want you to catch. Many times it's not in the divinity of Jesus (or the wonderful fact that he is God) that I receive healing, but in his humanity (or the fact that because he is man, he totally identifies with my needs, wants and hurts.
Let's take as an example the idea of grief and mourning. Jesus mourned. Jesus grieved. Jesus felt the loss of friends and family deeply.
Somewhere, somehow, we have come to believe that when we grief, we need to put on a happy face and not be "unspiritual" by crying or showing our pain. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!
Jesus weeps when his friend Lazarus. He weeps when he overlooks the city of Jerusalem, soon to be destroyed. He weeks over all losses and devastations that can possibly fill our hearts.
He grieves with those who grieve and sheds tears with those who cry.
I'm thankful for that today. In your grief, wherever you may be - realize that there is someone who completely understands - and cries with you. His name? Jesus.
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So true...often, we try to hide behind the statements that encourage us to think of those we lose as being in a better place (if they are believers, they truly are) or there was a better plan for them or, by taking them now, they might have avoided some long term pain or illness. Truth is, we need to recognize and deal with our loss...to do otherwise just causes us to internalize those feelings, resulting in health or emotional problems for us in the future. The verses used so often in these times are Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 (There Is a Time for Everything) and we need to accept that when it is time to grieve, we should grieve. This season too shall pass but it is a season that we need to pass through, not avoid! God loves us so much and He built in all the tools we need to live a happy and prosperous life in Him...unlikely as it seems, the ability to grieve is one of them. Without crying, how can we truly appreciate laughter? Without pain, how can we truly appreciate health? Fall upon the Lord and let Him carry you through the hard times and recognize that, just as He carries you through the hard times, He carries you through the great times as well. Without God, we can do nothing and we are lost. Partake of His gifts (even when they don't seem like gifts) and praise Him for His devotion to us and the love that He gives us.
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