ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF COMMITTED TO DUTY

April 4

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief... Isaiah 53:3                 

Our Lord knew the tremendous depths of disappointment and sorrows. Certainly, the loss of loved ones, but also the thousands of ways that people can let you down. He wept over the utter coldness of Jerusalem spiritually. "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones them who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings and you were unwilling" (Matt. 23:38). Judas betrayed Him with a kiss, and Peter denied His name three times. Furthermore, He was railroaded through the courts and forsaken by His own people. Cruelly mocked and beaten, He, through all His sorrow, completed the task before Him.        

Pastors get a front row seat to grief and sorrow. It was something of which I was unaware when I answered the call of God on my life, but after nearly 50 years of pastoring and 150 funerals, coupled with the ups and downs of the ministry, I have become to a small degree more aware of the meaning of "acquainted with grief." Also, I had a sense of burden that settled in on me. This is not to say that ministering to God's people didn't have its joys. I count myself as incredibly blessed in many, many ways.         

My dear wife of 52 years passed on a Thursday night. That Saturday I already was scheduled to do a funeral for a dear man of God. He was counting on me to preach the Gospel to his family which I promised him I would do. Then that Sunday I preached as well. "Oh, Pastor, no one expected you to preach this Sunday" many exclaimed. While that was true, as I saw it, if the farmer loses his loved one, the next day the livestock still need to be fed. Also, a young mother must care for children despite the tragedy at hand. Our Lord while despising the shame, still endured the cross. His personal grief and shame were set aside. We likewise are ..."fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross..."(Heb. 12:2) Friends, we just need to feed the livestock, keeping at our task while remembering our Lord's example.      

Russ Simpson