Comments Off on The Comfort of The Suffering Servant
One of my best friend’s son has recently been in the hospital for several weeks. It has been heartbreaking to see their family walk through so much pain and uncertainty. In moments like those, when the weight of our struggles feels overwhelming, I find myself praying. I pray for the Lord to help us see that suffering, while deeply painful, is never without meaning. Equally important, we are never beyond the reach of our Great Comforter.
A quote (often attributed to Augustine of Hippo) comes to mind: “God had one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.”
The Rock Church recently celebrated 25 years as a church here in Utah. Woo-hoo!!! I’ve reflected on the celebration events and all that people shared. I can’t help but think about how this church has impacted me over the last 18 years of my life.
A friend invited me to The Rock in 2005, the first church invite I ever received. By the following year, I knew I would pursue Jesus with my life. At the same time, my girlfriend’s life soon changed, too. We both became Believers. To add to that, we married in 2010, had two sweet children, and I became a pastor in 2014.
Over the years of doing life in this church, I have experienced nothing but goodness from the hands of my Lord. The Rock family has been an incredible blessing for me. As 1 John 3:1 reminds us:
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”
Now, this certainly doesn’t mean every day has been a walk in the park. On the contrary, I have experienced many difficult things. Doors have closed on some of our church plants. Many friends walked away from the faith after I spent years with them. Later on, I witnessed my father become a follower of Jesus. However, the Lord called him Home shortly after.
His Love Through You
Through all of the highs and the lows, one thing has always remained the same:
God’s constant provision, comfort, and love for me is through His Son and the local Church.
You (my Rock family) have been one of the most significant ways the Lord has drawn close to me. You’ve comforted and loved me through the good and bad times.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another.” Romans 12:15-16
Many of you have celebrated with me in the highs of my life. Along with that, several of you have sat with me in the caves of depression during the lows. All of those moments are reminders of God’s care for me.
Over the last 18 years of pursuing Jesus, this family called The Rock Church, has sweetly blessed my life. In retrospect, I can only sit back and praise God for His kindness and mercy to me. Equally important, I thank Him for bringing me into this family that has loved me like Jesus — at my best and worst.
Can I ask you, how has The Rock Church impacted your life? I’d love to hear from you.
(In previous posts I have shared my journey through grief and the many ways the Lord has walked with me. This is my latest entry in that collection. These posts have been helpful for me to write and look back on. When intense waves of sadness come, I read them. In the same way, I hope that in your times of sorrow, they can help you as well.)
Over the last year, I’ve read a book series I’ve fallen in love with. But recently, I’ve had to take a break from it. You see, as much as I love the story, I am equally dreading what will happen next. Without giving away any spoilers, I will just say this….the story is not ending how I want it to.
Christmas is indeed the most wonderful time of the year! But, the day after Christmas… not so much. Admittedly, all the excitement that went into putting up the Christmas lights is now nonexistent. The time has finally come to take them down.
But certainly, don’t let December 26th be the day you put all of the excitement of Christmas away until next year. Instead, ponder the incarnation of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. It means He has come to illuminate our lives today and forevermore.
We’re wrapping up our “Delighting in God’s Word” series at church, and I get the privilege of preaching our last teaching. As I’ve read and reflected on the verses, one thing comes up repeatedly. The author has such a refreshing relationship with the Lord that it literally changes every aspect of his life. This is equally true for each of us and is unique to the Christian faith.
Thanks to my iPhone, I am constantly reminded about what’s going on in my life. My calendar reminds me about meetings I need to attend and bills that need to be paid. Facebook reminds me about memories from five years ago. And countless sports apps notify me on player injuries, game times, and the latest trade rumors. Better still is that I don’t really have to think to be reminded; they just ‘POP-UP’ on my phone. Instant reminder.
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” — John 10:28
That verse is like a treasure box full of incredible love! The promised assurance and safety coming from the mouth of Jesus grips my heart every time I read it! And it’s these specific words that have really struck me: “no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Jesus is saying that we are so secure in His hands, that nothing can loosen His grip.
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” — John 1:29
What an amazing declaration we read in the Gospel of John! A Savior has come into the world and has the ability to take away all of our sins! Then, in Matthew 3:13 we read, “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.” Wait, what? Why does Jesus need to get baptized? He is the Messiah. He has no sins to repent of!? This very thought confused even John the baptizer! In verse 14 he says, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Can I be honest with you about something? I really love our CHURCH! I recently read an on-line comment about our church (from a new Believer) and it encouraged me so much. It read:
“Today as I was looking around (the church) there were people from all walks of life here and it just amazed me! Families of all races, people in dresses, tank tops, Harley jackets. People with tattoos, some just getting off work, and people who had obviously been sleeping all day! This church is so diverse yet we all connect through an amazing God who has brought us all together.”
