Children of the Kingdom;

May the grace and peace of God be with you.

Anyone who has cried know the comfort of a shoulder to lean on. And anyone who could not find that shoulder in that moment has experienced the excruciating pain of wiping those tears themselves.

Think of that teenage girl abducted and used as a sex slave (oh are there many!). She has no one to lean on, and hence, sooner or later, she will find the very act of crying painful. The very cry that was designed to help her relieve her pain might turn against her, because there is no one to comfort here. Hence, she will eventually stop crying.

You see my friend, crying is a privilege…when you have someone to lean on.

Ecclesiastes 4:9,10 – Two are better than one…10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

For you and me, my friend, children of God, we have the shoulder of Christ to lean on.

Psalms 10:17 – You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry

Psalms 18:6 – In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.

And today, look at what we are told

Hebrews 4:16 – Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

When you cry to the Lord, when you approach Him, you have the confidence that His shoulder is there, that the grace that you need at that time, that comfort that only Him can provide, He will graciously give of it to you.

My friend, whoever you are who call on Jesus as your Lord, you have the privilege to cry unto God. Many before us understood this privilege and seized it. Some became expert at crying to Him…didn’t they cry to Him so often precisely because they truly believe that He could hear them and comfort them? Were not their cries, at their weakest points, also a manifestation of their faith?

It is your turn! You are not stuck in some hidden confine, without hope, and with no one to wipe your tears. You are in the presence of Jesus…You have Christ…, and yes, wherever you are! God was found in prison right there with His servants (think of Peter when he was in chains in a prison). God was found right in the furnace, right there with the friends of Daniel who had vowed not to bow before anyone else but their God). God will be found were His children are found…And yes, He will be found with that sex slave if she is His.

Call on Him! Call on Him my people. Our God is merciful! And our God is compassionate. Plead your case, raise your voice, lean on Him, not only as your Master, but also as the One who truly loves you! He will receive you, for your Father in heaven is the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3).

To the glory of the Father, in the name of Jesus, the King of peace. May truth alone stands.

Father, may you sanctify the ears and eyes of the readers. And let your words, and your words alone stand. If these are not your words, let them fall to the ground and no take root. And be merciful to me, according to your own kindness. In Jesus’ name.

Amen.