Tuesday, June 17, 2025
John 11:33-35
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also
weeping which came with her, he groaned
in the spirit, and was troubled,
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him,
Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.
In the same way service dogs sense that something is not right with their patients, some of us have been gifted with the
ability to sense pain in others. It
is not a gift to ask for! We see through the smiles and happy-go-lucky attitude
to the depths of a person’s heart. I’m one of those people but I don’t always
appreciate this ability because there seems to be pain everywhere.
I attended a police chaplain’s
conference in Dallas several years ago and met
some of the first responders to the Oklahoma City bombing. They told of the
carnage they witnessed and how they gradually grew numb to the pain. Many of
these ministers and counselors were still groaning
in their spirit. They had seen and felt more than they had prepared for. Their
grief needed to be postponed to a later time. Now they were caring machines but
grief would catch up to them later.
The word “groaned” in verse 33 is the Greek embrimaomai which
actually means “to snort with anger or to sigh with chagrin.” More than being
sorrowful, Jesus was angry at death.
Knowing this changes the tone of His
question: “Where have ye laid him?” I hear a determined resolve to reverse the
cause of pain. Only God could do this.
As you go through this day keep a sharp eye out for the pain in others. Develop a
firm resolve to reverse the cause of pain if possible. Then pay attention
to yourself and do what Jesus often did. Steal away to some quiet place
and talk to the Father so that your peace may return.
1 Cor 12:26
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer
with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Lord, give me a keen insight into the pain of others and a
heart to help. When I am worn, restore me that I might help again. AMEN
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