“My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6).
O Lord God, in our mortal limitations, how can we understand Your ways, Your plans, Your purpose? And yet, in our deepest struggles our hearts long for answers, our spirits long to know that somehow it all makes sense.
In our distresses, O Father, it is to You that our soul instinctively turns; deep in our being we know that only in You is the rest, the peace, the help, we need. Help us Lord, to give You our struggles. Teach us, like David, to cry out to You from the deepest caverns of pain, and grief and emptiness: "I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before Him my complaint; before Him I tell my trouble (Psalm 142:1-3).
Lord, we think of those who are wrestling in this season with sadness, and loneliness, and depression. We think of those on the brink of despair. We think of those who feel keenly the pain of loss in the midst of the festivity and the celebration.
We think of those who are struggling with "Why?" We think of those who like Job are crying out, "If only I could go to [God's] dwelling! I would state my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments" (Job 23:3-4)
O Lord God, fill hearts this Christmas with Your peace and Your presence. Let Your tidings of comfort and joy reach into the dark places of loneliness, estrangement, pain, grief, emptiness, and suffering.
Compassionate Father, it is true that our ears have heard of You, but open our eyes to see You—Emmanuel, God with us—the One of whom it was written, "Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering" (Isaiah 53:4). Open our hearts to receive Your grace and Your comfort, as in simple surrender we give Your our pain and our struggles.
Are you weary, are you heavy-hearted? Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus; Are you grieving over joys departed? Tell it to Jesus alone.
Refrain: Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus, He is a friend that’s well-known; You’ve no other such a friend or brother, Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden? Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus; Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden? Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do you fear the gath’ring clouds of sorrow? Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus; Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow? Tell it to Jesus alone.
Are you troubled at the thought of dying? Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus; For Christ’s coming kingdom are you sighing? Tell it to Jesus alone.
~Edmund S. Lorenz~ Published 1876
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