Jesus Wept

"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled."  John 11:33

There are a lot of things I don't understand in life.  Like why the terrible events of Colorado happened.  How a person could be so twisted.  How they could make that horrible irreversible decision.

There are also 'smaller' things I don't understand.  Why certain dreams seem take so long to come true.  Why some days seem to have a gloomy haze around them.

But one thing I do know is that Jesus cares.  The story above mentions again a few verses later, "Jesus, once more deeply moved came to the tomb."

It's comforting to know that God cares about our emotions and our hearts. That He has a heart that feels emotions too.

And that best of all He has a plan to rescue us from a world where our hearts feel sadness and loss and restore us to one where they dance with joy instead.

Are We Replaceable?

I had an interesting conversation the other day about the value of a person's individual contribution.  A reference was made to the saying 'everyone's replaceable.'


Working in HR, especially being part of the onboarding and offboarding process, I understand the point of this saying.  To a degree we are all replaceable.   At some point there will come a time for all of us when we will leave our positions, whether through job transfer or promotion or retirement, and we would generally hope there is someone who can step in after us to continue the work.


However, in another very real sense we are not replaceable at all.  I would venture to say, in many careers at least, that no one else can do your job exactly the way you can.  No one else can reach certain people the way you can.   No one else has the same combination of talent and character and personality as you do.


Consider Psalms 139:14


"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."


And also Ephesians 2: 10


"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us do."


Or this promise from Isaiah 49.


"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands..."


So it would seem then that we are all uniquely equipped by our Creator God for the calling before us.  As Paul writes in Ephesians 4 let us live a life worthy of the call we have received. 

Everything you wished for

My husband and I recently bought the extended edition of Lord of the Rings.  I know I may be a little late to the party with this, but we are really enjoying watching the DVDs, in fact watching the extended edition is almost watching them again for the first time.

In the second movie, the Two Towers, there is a a scene that I find rather sad.   Arwen the beautiful elf Evenstar is deciding between remaining on Middle Earth to be with Aragorn who she loves or heading to the Undying Lands with her father Elrond and the rest of her people.

In a poignant speech Elrond reminds her that even if all she hopes for comes true and she marries Aragorn and he is crowned king, even if these wonderful things happen, she would still at some point lose him and come to death herself.

It's a thought progression that merits some reflection for us as well.  What if all the wonderful things we hope for in life come true?  The dream job, a happy marriage, healthy children.

Even if life on Earth goes well, there is still the silent march of time and age asking us to consider the question, what happens next?

In the book the Return of the King, Aragorn offers a hint of the answer.  On his deathbed he says to Arwen, "But let us not be overthrown at the final test, who of old renounced the Shadow and the Ring.  In sorrow we must go, but not in despair.  Behold!  we are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory."

While it is interesting to read of hints and illusions of such ideas, it is more valuable to know for certain one's true final destiny.

I don't always understand the Bible perfectly.  There are many verses and doctrines that people can debate.  But one thing I do understand is that the blood of Jesus paid the price for my sins and my failings.  And because of His great and incredible sacrifice, my future is secure in Him.  No matter what happens in life, I can know the ending.  Maybe not all the particulars, but enough to know the ending is really just the beginning.  The beginning of something more wonderful and good then even my imagination can create.

And that is Good News indeed!