Luke 23:26-31 Take Up Their Cross

Luke 23:26-31 NIV
"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children." (vs 28)

Life is tough! What makes it even sadder, at times, is that some don't seem to have enough of a clue about the reality of what is going on in their children's life to even weep for them. They are just too busy to be able to notice what is going on. They do not comprehend what the children are going through and have even less of a clue how to help them.

A part of the solution can be found in today's reading. Simon Cyrene was compelled to carry the cross for Jesus. Do you love your children, your neighbor, your spouse enough to help carry the load when they are stumbling under the weight of it? This is not about covering up their sins for them. It is about setting aside your own desires (not by compulsion; but, out of love) so that you have the time and the energy to help others carry their cross. It is about teaching the way in which they should go and then and only then will they know real peace. And... the way is the way of the cross. Show them that your love for them is so great that you would carry their cross for them and they will, in time, have the courage and strength to do the same for others.

Life is tough. But, it doesn't have to be as tough as it is, at times. Help carry your loved one's (and even your enemies) cross and make their load a little lighter.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 24 - We All Grieve In Our Own Way

Everyone grieves in their own way. In today's lesson Ezekiel's wife dies. He is commanded by God not to show any outward expression of grief. He can groan within. But, he is to go about the day as if it was just another day. This is to be done as a sign to Israel that the sanctuary will be desecrated and when their own sons and daughters will die by the sword they will not be afforded the opportunity to grieve them openly. Instead they will waste away as they are left to grieve within themselves.

Everyone grieves in there own way. Funerals and Memorial Services are more so for the living than for the dead. We need a way to begin to grieve and we do this by sharing the stories of our loved one. We do this by sharing stories of their faith and faithfulness. We do this openly. Even if one does not openly participate in the sharing of their stories or visible signs of their grief; they are listening. They are hearing. They are grieving.

It is not always so; but, often, those who are not allowed free expression of their grief in whatever manner they personally grieve will internalize it and begin to waste away. The wasting away may not be physical. Rather, it might be spiritual or emotional. So often after the funeral, friends disappear. They do not want to hear and share in the grief of spouses or children or parents. They want to get on with life and they want the person who is grieving to get on with life. Living life is a good thing. But, remember, that we all grieve in our own way and grief can very well be a life-long experience. If you love them, allow them the stories, the memories. For in remembering, we are re-membered (re-connected) to the loved ones we have lost.

Can you imagine how much Ezekiel's wife endured just being married to Ezekiel? You don't get to hear much about her, only her death. And... even her death is not allowed to be publicly grieved.

We all grieve in our own way. May God help us to be a comfort to others in their times of loss.

God's Peace - Pr. J

2 Chronicles 33 - School of Hard Knocks

Manasseh learned from the school of "hard knocks."  He worshipped other gods, and when the mess got bigger than he could handle; when he found himself in bondage; he repented.  He turned to the LORD, the one true God, for help.  That's the good news.  Manasseh learned at the school of "hard knocks."

His son, Amon, did not.  He did the evil that his father, Manasseh, had done before Manasseh learned from the school of "hard knocks."  Amon did not live long enough to learn a better way.  His officials assissinated him.

Amon followed in the ways of his father.  Were those ways learned?  Were they just a product of the evil within the community?  Maybe there were no outside influences and the evil that Amon did was born in a vacuum?  I doubt it.  Bad behaviors are usually learned.  Just as we can be taught to do what is good, someone teaches us to do what is evil.  Someone entices us and way too often we listen. 

In the beginning... Adam and Eve were alone in the garden.  Not!  Their sin was encouraged by someone or something.  The serpent enticed them and they listened. 

What are we teaching our sons and daughters?  What have we taught them?  Most of us have been to the school of "hard knocks."  Let us pray that our children will not follow us there.  May God help us to teach them, to show them, the way in which they should go.