3-4-2014

Good Morning to All,

      Mark 9:27; “But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.”

    If you are old enough, you might remember when President Johnson spoke to the American public and delivered the line, “My fellow Americans, I come to you tonight with a heavy heart.” He went on to explain how painful being president of the United States had been.  He eventually stated he would not run for reelection.  He claimed it was because he didn’t want the presidency to be drug down by the politics of the discussion.  I think most people just thought that he was worn down by being president.

    I think most of us agree that being president is heavy on the heart.  I am always amazed at how much those men age while in office.  I think our last two, Bush and Obama, have aged incredibly.  The stress of the job must be beyond most of our comprehension.

    There are many times when in our life, we feel we live with a heavy heart.  There are times when we look around and with a sigh, wonder what can come next.  I have a pickup that I drive.  My “check engine” light is always on.  I have tested it and replaced the part but the light stays on.  My mechanic friends tell me it could be any one of a half-dozen things before it that make the sensor go off.  I can live with it but I know people who have a doctor tell them the same thing.  They try this or that but the doctor is never sure if it will help, hurt, or leave no change.  My pickup is one thing but a person’s health is different.  Facing this can cause a heavy heart.

     Struggling with personal relationships that can be troubling and painful.  Spending most of your time alone, even if you are part of a family, can cause a heavy heart.  Struggling with every day bills (can this winter get any longer or more expensive?) or a job that seems less than satisfactory (if you have a job); or just getting up in the morning because you feel depressed about the way life has been dealt can cause a very heavy heart. 

    When we look at this, we might be saddened.  Yet everyone experiences this at some time or another.  You see it when you see some people turn to alcohol or drugs as a way to dull the senses.  You see it when they tend to be abusive to those around them.  You see it when a person tends to just fall out of touch with all the people.  These are the answers that don’t work.  Yet we have one that does.  Jesus will lift you up and will lift your heart.

    Through his death on the cross, by being lifted up himself, Jesus has freed us from the power of the devil.  The devil will still tempt and tease us but he cannot torment us unless we let him.  Christ has made him powerless.  Our hope and our salvation is secure in God’s plan of salvation for us, especially made for you.  By trusting God to provide for us and by relying on his mercy, he will lift up our hearts and carry the weight for us.  We need to rely on God’s grace to carry us through.

Father of grace, you lift us up out of the mire and the filth of this broken world.  We ask that you never let us fall.  Be with those who are feeling heavy-hearted at this time.  Be with them and comfort them with your Spirit of hope.  Use us as your hands to bring them comfort.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret