Verse 12 of Matthew 14 tells what John the Baptist’s disciples did after Herod had him be-headed. It simply says, “And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.” It may be a little simplistic in a way, but just think about it. How did John’s apostles react at the loss of their beloved friend and leader? How simple is this? They took care of their friend’s body, of course, but then they simply “went and told Jesus.”
When tragedy struck, they told Jesus all about it! The scriptures make it perfectly clear that Jesus understands our sorrows and hurts and pains and sympathizes with us at all our losses in life. He, the actual Lord of life and death, fully understands. We truly will never understand why someone we love could contract cancer, or be hit by a drunk driver, or experience any number of catastrophic events in life. We’ll never understand the why’s of these things. But Jesus does! Others may comfort us and console us and minister to us in our losses, but Jesus can do much more. We must tell Jesus because He strengthens. He can strengthen us and pick us up and get us back into life.
Prayer is for little children and old women! Don’t you agree? It seems like I’ve trusted much in my own strength and abilities and motivations to keep my faith alive and active. But lately, and it seems the older I get, the less I trust myself and the less I depend on my own strengths and abilities and more I look to God. Prayer is more important to me than it has been. Now, I’m more ready to follow the advice of the old hymn, “Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged: Take it to the Lord in prayer! Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our ev’ry weakness- Take it to the Lord in prayer!”
Chuck
“He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:9