Thursday, January 3, 2013 -- Who Cares?

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

How many times have we thought or cried out, “Who cares?”  Who cares that I am hurting?  Who cares that I am hungry, tired, and lonely?  Who cares about the dull dark pressure I’m feeling right now in my mind and body?  Who cares?  God answers, “I care.”  His answer is Jesus who is the source of love and kindness, including care and comfort for our broken hearts and tortured minds. 

On this "10th Day of Christmas" we need Jesus to come and be Lord of our life much more than we need "10 Lords a leaping" as the song goes.  Jesus is Lord and as Lord He provides healing for harm done to us.  Jesus provides forgiveness for harm done by us. Jesus offers dignity and respect for all the words of condemnation and self-hatred we've heard and spoken over ourselves.  Jesus offers meaning and purpose for our lives if we live for Him rather than for ourselves.  Jesus offers us peace and reconciliation for relationships that have been broken so badly and for so long that we have assumed they are as good as dead.

Jesus offers us healing, rest, and a new way of life.  We long for all of these.  How can we actually get them?  Jesus tells us we have to let go of our heavy burdens and then take on a new work with Him. 

All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us ….  When God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn can be an encouragement to you.  Then you can patiently endure … (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 6 NLT)

God wants everyone to know His comfort and encouraging presence.  God wants to comfort you and me so we can comfort others.  God wants to strengthen you and me so we can strengthen others.  God wants to heal us so we can show others how to be healed.  That’s the caring life we celebrate at Christmas. God came in human flesh to show us how much we are loved and in turn how to love one another.  God invites us to a life that is meaningful, purposeful, and joyful.  To teach, I must endure, but God promises that He will never give me more than I can bear.  I must learn.  I must be disciplined.  I must walk out my new life in step with Jesus.  I must allow my thoughts, my feelings, my actions and my reactions to be reshaped by God’s love and God’s truth.  This then becomes the experience, strength, and hope I have to share with someone else.  God, who cares for me, calls me to care for others.  The joy and hope I have found in God flows out of me and attracts others to Jesus. 

Do I know God cares for me?  Am I living alongside Jesus today allowing Him to reshape how I think and speak and act?  Am I, by my actions and how I am living right now, heading towards a ministry of encouragement or a relapse?