Worship with me #32

Thank You, Lord, that You understand our suffering and our grief, for You also suffered greatly, and You can sympathize with our pain and heartache.

Lord Jesus, it makes us sad and glad at the same time that you offered Your back to those who beat You, Your cheeks to those who pulled out Your beard.  Thank You that You did not hide Your face from mocking and spitting, that You were pierced for our sins and crushed for our iniquities.  The punishment that brought us peace was upon You, and by Your wounds we are healed.

Lord, we don’t like suffering. We really, really hate it, in fact.  But we are so glad that You can relate and that You care and that You draw us near to Your heart and hold us tight as You carry us through.

Lord, You came to suffer and die for us, not because You looked forward to the pain, but because You took joy in the thought that the result of Your suffering would be the salvation of many, and because You looked forward to spending time with us for eternity.

Our pain has grieved You all along, ever since the beginning of man’s fall in the Garden of Eden.  You knew before then that loving us would require of You great suffering, but You made us anyway.  Praise You, Jesus!

Thank You for leaving the riches of Heaven to become poor, for enduring the insults and sneering of wicked men, for being deeply moved over the infirmities of the people and over the death of Your friend, Lazarus.  You also wept over Your people who would not repent, knowing that they would suffer for their sin.  Thank You for suffering so they wouldn’t have to.

Thank You, Jesus, for being despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering and for taking my punishment on the cross for my sins.

Jesus, You suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in Your steps.  We have no desire in our flesh to follow You in suffering, and yet, in our spirits, we are so moved by Your great love for us that we approach You with a desire to obey, all the while realizing that we can’t do it without Your help.  Please fill us with Your Spirit and empower us each day, each step of the way, to follow You wherever You may lead us, by Your love that You alone can give us.

Thank You that You have brought us into relationship with You by Your suffering.  May the result of our suffering, also, be the bringing of many to know You.

In Jesus’ name we ask it.

Amen

(Scriptures cited:  Isaiah 53:3,5; Mark 15:29; Mark 7:34; Luke 19:41; John 11:33-35; John 12:27; Isaiah 50:6; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Hebrews 12:2)