Pensamientos sobre el Verso de Hoy
Si alguna vez has estado al lado de la tumba de un ser querido, seguramente este pensamiento también te cruzó la mente: si hubieras estado aquí, Señor. ¿Dónde está Jesús cuando sufrimos? Hay dos hechos que debemos recordar. En primer lugar, Jesús sí está con nosotros en los momentos de pérdida y dolor. La iglesia es el cuerpo de Jesús. Cada gesto de bondad, apoyo, consuelo y ayuda es en verdad Jesús mismo obrando para aliviar nuestro dolor. En segundo lugar, aunque no paró la muerte de nuestro ser querido, está presente en la muerte de cada creyente. Pablo nos recuerdo que cuando muere un Cristiano, Él o ella va a la presencia de Cristo (2 Corintios 5:6-7; Filipenses 1:21-23). Nunca está fuera de la presencia de Dios (Romanos 8:35-39).
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
If you have ever stood at the grave side of a loved one, this thought probably crossed your mind, too — "if you had only been here, Lord..."! Where is Jesus when we hurt? Why couldn't he be here to help us? There are a couple of crucial answers to remember.
- Jesus is with us in our moments of loss and grief. The Church is Jesus' Body and every act of kindness, word support, effort to comfort us, and simple helping actions are part of Jesus working to alleviate our grief.
- While Jesus may not have kept our loved one from passing from this life to the next, he has been the abiding and unbroken presence for each Christian who has died physically. Paul reminds us that when a Christian dies, he or she goes to be with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:6-7; Philippians 1:21-23) and God's loving presence is never lost to him or her (Romans 8:35-39).
Martha seems to have something deep inside her that resonated with these promises because she was convinced that even though her brother, Lazarus, had died, she trusted that Jesus could still do something. She says, "But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask" (John 11:20). In the face of overwhelming grief and deep sorrow, we as believers can yearn to have had Jesus present to prevent the death of a loved one. Yet in the face of this unwanted intrusion of death, we can say with faith, "Even now God will" provide victory out of our heartbreak!
Mi oración
Santo Padre, ayúdame a reconocer la presencia de Jesús en los momentos de pérdida y dolor. Ayúdame a ver la presencia del Espíritu Santo quien vive en mí. Ayúdame a verlo en los actos de amor y bondad de parte de tu pueblo. Además, ayúdame a reconocer las maneras en las cuales puedo ser la presencia de Jesús a los demás quienes están pasando por el dolor. En el nombre de Jesús oro, Amén.
My Prayer...
Holy Father, please help me see Jesus' ministering presence with me in my times of loss and grief. Help me see him in the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit who abides in me. Help me see him in the acts of love and kindness your bodily presence, the church, as your people help me. In addition, dear Father, please help me see ways that I can serve as Jesus' presence to someone else who is experiencing grief. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
