HOPE ON A DAY OF GRIEVING
| TODAY: On this Good Friday, think of the emotion faced by Jesus and his followers on his grief-filled way. On Mount Olive, where Jesus stopped before entering Jerusalem, there stands a cathedral built in the shape of a teardrop, Dominus Flevit (the Lord wept). On one wall is a plaque whose plea spans the ages: “The love of God is mourning. O unfathomable grief! God mourns that man, whom he created, has strayed so far from him. Today in love, he is calling. Turn around and come back here today.” |
I chose this day’s devotion because April 9th is the anniversary of my late husband Ralph’s birth. Reading the verse left me puzzled. I saw no way of reconciling the two. It is even more difficult because this has been the hardest year of my life. I had to read the entire chapter.
Jesus chose us. When we abide in him, we are cleansed just like the vine, whose branches are pruned to promote healthy growth. We are his friends. We are to bear fruit. What better tribute could I pay to Ralph than to follow Jesus’ command and abide in Him that I may bear fruit.
Could this be the comfort that has been escaping me these three years? Maybe. At least it gives me hope.
— Lois Wair
Courtesy of The Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist