Man of Sorrows

Jesus lifted the goblet of wine, likening it to his own blood, shed for us, and passed around the bread, his body, broken. During this last supper, he was offering a clear warning to his beloved disciples that he was soon going to be betrayed. He was preparing them, and himself, for the seemingly insurmountable suffering and heartbreak ahead.

I can’t imagine what Jesus must have been going through that night, knowing what lay ahead. The ability to gather with friends, to stand up and deliver such profound truth with unwavering confidence, in the face of the ultimate betrayal, rejection, suffering, and excruciating death, is the epitome of strength and courage.

The disciples would soon turn their backs on him during his darkest days, unable to look upon his suffering. How many times have we shied away from sitting with someone in their most difficult moments? Yet who among us hasn’t experienced grief, pain, or rejection? Knowing that Jesus was “acquainted with deepest grief” is one of the things I treasure most about him, especially when I was in the midst of my own season of profound loss several years ago.

The sudden death of my best friend and the miscarriage of my first pregnancy all within three months’ time had shattered my heart, leaving me grasping at what might have been. I cried out to God, shocked, angry, knocked down by waves of intense emotional pain. Somehow, through the grief, Colossians 3:15 became my mantra: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.” I scribbled it on a sticky note and stuck it to the bathroom mirror, and in those painful moments alone, I recited it over and over again. The abstract image of my anxiety and grief bowing in submission to Jesus offered sweet relief.

Jesus knows your pain. He has been through the deepest grief, rejection, and suffering. His peace can rule in your heart today, his strength and courage yours to face your own sorrows with integrity and purpose. The pain can coexist with his peace, bowing in submission to Jesus, who overcame all.

Reflect

As you reflect on today’s devotional, listen to the song, “Man of Sorrows” while you answer this question:

What sorrows are you enduring today? Have you asked Jesus, “a man of sorrows,” to be with you in your pain, and to offer his strength and peace?