Jesus wept. John 11:35 NIV
Pam and I went to an apartment poolside late last night to watch a couple of college students get baptized by Chi Alpha student ministry. There were close to 50 students at the poolside giving their encouragement and support. Before getting into the pool they gave each person an opportunity to share their story.
The young man, Joe and not his real name, shared about struggles and hopelessness. He was sitting in the college cafe contemplating his last day of living. He pointed to a guy by the pool who stopped on that day and started talking with him. The guy asked Joe to tell his story. Joe was cautious in telling how he really felt at that moment. The other young man shared his own store which included intense hurt and pain and the hope found in Jesus. Joe opened up at a new level of the despair and pain he was feeling.
The young man who was helping asked Joe if he knew why Jesus was weeping at the grave side of Lazarus? “Because Lazarus was dead?” Joe inquired. He friend responded, “Yes, but more than that, Jesus was weeping because of the pain which all of his friends were experiencing for the death of their friend.” Then he turned to Joe, “Jesus is weeping for your pain also.”
Joe gave his life to Jesus and hope came with it. His words about hearing Jesus weeping, “those words of identification changed my life for ever. Jesus cared about me.
I looked over the crowd of students. Both people being baptized had shared about having thoughts of suicide at their lowest moments. How many more of these and other college students are being tempted to end life with no hope?
Maybe you are feeling this type of despair today and no one knows the thoughts that have been hounding you. Maybe the enemy has driven such a deep wedge in your thoughts of hopelessness in which you feel too far gone for Jesus to reach you. Find hope in Jesus weeping and in Jesus victory. The Bible says, “surely he has borne our sorrows.”
How is this revelation of Jesus reaching into the darkness of your soul and bringing life going to be shared? Share your own story with the hurting. Push aside your shame and guilt of your past and help point people to Jesus the author and finisher of your faith. People are hurting and you carry the antidote of the message of hope found in Jesus.
Let me close with two clear impressions
1. If you have been contemplating ending your life, true hope is found in Jesus. If you have been reading this far…it is a sign for you to know that God loves you more than you can imagine. Ask Him to lead you to a follower of Jesus who can weep with you and share the message of hope.
2. If you are already a follower of Jesus, listen to the impressions of the Holy Spirit! Your engagement with another person could be the life vest they are needing. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Today, He is using His transformed followers to share this message of hope and life. His plan is to communicate His love for others is through you.
To be honest, I didn’t want to be out at 11:00 last night for a baptism. But once I was experiencing the imagery of new life in Christ being displayed and voiced by these two students, there was nowhere else in the world I would rather have been at that moment.
May we be about our heavenly Father’s business to seek and share with the lost. May you get a chance to share your story. May you find hope in Jesus’ weeping for you.
Blessings Love y’all