Sunday 26 October 2014

God's agents

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Rom. 12.15


Life has many moods; different situations provoke and spawn differing reactions. We cannot always live  in sunshine. We do not always live in shadow, in doom, depression and disaster.

We may experience days of rejoicing and also days of mourning. Faith does not exempt the believer from the agonies of life. Faith can, however, strengthen the Christian to face whatever upheaval threatens, and to press through to overcoming. Nothing lasts, not even hard times!

There is another blessing for the Christian, as this verse indicates. This is the support of others. Paul exhorts us to be there for one another, to be there with one another. And our presence and support is not restricted to the good times. Certainly, we are to rejoice with those who are rejoicing. How good it is to share good things with others. Our joy increases as we extend it to friends and family and strangers.

Then there are times of grief and misery. We may feel utterly and hopelessly alone at such times. We greatly need others to be there, with us and for us. Similarly, we are to be there for others. We may experience difficulty in such moments, not knowing what to say or do. Often it is sufficient simply to be there. Words can be redundant, especially trite sayings or banal expressions. No, sometimes sitting quietly with one who is grieving is enough. Nothing more is required. We mourn with those who mourn. Indeed, we become truly God’s agents at such times. We are His presence, in person, with the one who is either rejoicing or mourning.




Dear  Lord,


Thank You for the opportunities You give me to re-present You to people. Please fit me and enable me to rejoice to the fullest with those who are rejoicing. and let me genuinely and deeply be there for those who mourn. Thank You. Amen.

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