Hope for the Hurting

Is there help for the hurting? 11 years ago you could have asked me that question and really been offended by my response. Why? Because I had just buried my oldest brother. It was so painful for me. Then to make matters worse, I could not bear to see the hurt on the faces of my Mom and Dad. It was more than I should bear.
Missing him still hurts. I see him everywhere; In my memories. Some days I think I even hear his voice.
I wouldn't talk about it. No one understood. No one could. I refused to pray about it. . .Really? What did God know about my pain? What does God know about pain? He let this happen, right?
God let me think this way for a time. Blaming Him for all that is wrong with life. I should say, He was merciful enough to let me live through the hurtful things that I accused Him of. But one day, He taught me about pain. . .
2000 years ago a tiny baby was born. A beautiful child who came into this World in the most unusual of all circumstances. Humble beginnings. . . He grew into a wonderful man. A righteous and pure man full of compassion for this World and its people. People who did not share in His love. This man had a Father. A Father who loved Him dearly. Matthew 3:17 tells us that the Father loved the Son and was pleased with Him.
This Son devoted His entire life to the people of this World. . .then, one day, those people decided they no longer needed or wanted Him in their lives. They took this young man and, although He had done them no harm, tortured and beat Him. Only to murder Him in the end.
The Father of this child hurt. His Son did not deserve to die! Let alone be tortured to death. And, although He could have stopped it, the Father sat back and allowed it to happen. He allowed it so that we could have help when we hurt. The Father allowed His Son to die so that we might live. And not just live, but experience His love. So that we could once again be reunited with Him. His death, although painful, broke barriers. His death has given life. The Father's pain has become my hope.

A Living God

He has created me and breathed life in me. He lives and He lives in me; 2 Corinthians 6:16, “What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
Not only was He alive in the days of Daniel; but He was also made flesh and lived and walked the streets of Jerusalem. John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
So what does that mean to me? Unlike a statue or an idol, God is alive! That tells me that He can hear me when I cry out. He can touch me when I hurt. He can hold me when I feel alone. He can catch me when I fall. I can turn to Him when I am in need. I can thank Him for my blessings. I can talk to Him when I am excited! My God has feelings. He can hurt. He can be happy or sad. He can grieve (John 11:35. Jesus wept). He can laugh. He is jealous. He can get angry. He can find pleasure (1 Timothy 2:3). Most importantly, He can love me. No other god/idol can do that. Can money love a person? Can possessions heal your heart? Would they want to? Can they show you compassion? He can be devoted to me if I give myself to Him.
My God loved me so much that He sacrificed the life of His only begotten Son to save that which was lost (Eph 5:2). He loves me so much, that He calls me child. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1. No they do not know my living God. But I want them to.