5 In your relationships with one another,
have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5-8
At sometime in our lives, we will go through pain. It will be different for each of us during different seasons of our lives but in this world, we will experience the groaning of suffering and pain.
It might be physical pain caused by an ailment. It might be an emotional pain because of the loss of a loved one. It might be the heavy weight of life’s circumstances – the loss of a job, a financial crunch because of unforeseen medical bills, a strained relationship. Then we listen to the news and hear about the pain and suffering in our world with wars, inflation and continued concerns over the COVID virus, at times it may feel like the peeling of an onion where each peeled layer reveals a deeper level of pain. These layers of pain can cause us to experience groaning. When words are no longer forth coming, we groan because our agony of suffering and pain is too great.
I read an inciteful electronic magazine, Cultivare (https://www.cultivare.net) on this topic of pain and the groaning we may experience in life. It may provide some insights on how we deal with the groaning in our lives, especially as people of faith.
As Christians, we are not immune from pain. Situations arise within our lives that cause us to cry out but there is good news in the midst of our suffering and pain. Pain is what Christ endured on our behalf when he was “obedient to death – even death on a cross.”
As we come to the final days of Holy Week, to Good Friday and Holy Saturday, may we remember Christ’s pain and suffering on our behalf but may we also celebrate His overcoming death on Resurrection Sunday.
Know that I am praying for you and for our church and I hope to see you at our upcoming services – our Maundy Thursday evening service at 6pm, our noon day Stations of the Cross presentation, Good Friday evening at 6pm and then on Sunday, for our Easter Celebration at 9:30am!