Written: Dec. 25, 2015
I’ve been reading Abdu Murray’s book, Grand Central Question (which is excellent, by the way), and I was reminded of this quote by C.S. Lewis: “God whispers to us in our pleasure, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts to us in our pain; it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Pain tells us how real, how valuable, and how important another person is to us. Oh, how blessed we are as Christ followers to know that it is in that same pain he calls to us and says: Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest. ”
Even as he was facing his own death in the cross, Jesus told his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
While other religions try to explain away pain or deny suffering, in Christ we find the strength to face it and the peace to live through it, because Christ took upon himself our pain and sin in his death on the cross; then joy upon joy overcame it all, breaking its power by rising from the grave! That is the source of our victory and hope in the midst of suffering and pain. He is our peace and makes our burdens light. Thank you, Lord.
Grace and Peace