Hope For The Hurting
|
As a child, no one had difficulty picking Roger Loomis out of his family’s photos. He was the one with the big head. From infancy, through adolescence, his head grew disproportionately with the rest of his body. Classmates would sneak up from behind, hit him on the back of his head and yell, “Fathead!” He laughed on the outside, but inside the nickname cut like a knife. Years of ridicule and abuse could have set Roger off in a rage, sending him on a shooting spree, taking his anger out on whoever happened to cross his path. Perhaps he could have simply withdrawn from society, or dropped out of life through suicide or drugs or alcohol. |
Fortunately, Roger found hope and healing for his deep-seated pain. When he was seven years old, a pastor and his wife came to his home and invited the family to attend their little church. Roger was hiding in the shadows of the entranceway to his home, but like a magnet, the wife’s attention was focused on the boy. She asked, “What’s your name?” He responded with a shy grin. She knelt down, level with his eyes, placed both hands on his head, and said, “My, what a handsome little boy you are.”
Says Roger Loomis, “Only God knows the impact of that act. Hands of love enclosed my head where hands of ridicule have often struck. Overcome with emotion, I ran away and cried in secret. I had experienced unconditional love and acceptance. In my heart, I immediately wanted to become a preacher. I was called to preach before I knew the Lord personally. What was perhaps insignificant to others, pulled out deep-seated hurts in my life. Her hands were Jesus’ hands extended. Hands of affirmation placed on my ‘fathead’ altered the course of my life.”
Friend, never underestimate the power of touch. Someone around you is hurting. Your kind word, your gentle touch could change their destiny.
We live in a hurting world. Multitudes live with pain and a sense of hopelessness. There is hope for the hopeless. There is a healing touch for the hurting.
Perhaps you are hurting today. Perhaps you awake every day with a feeling of hopelessness, with a gnawing pain inside of you. There is hope for you today. The Book of Hope, the Bible, reveals One “who touched with the feelings of our infirmities.” (Hebrews 4:13) He tells you to “cast all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
Jesus loves you, He cares about you. You may say, “How do I know He loves me? How much does He care?” The Son of God said, “This much” and spread out his hands and they were nailed to a rugged cross; He died for the sins of the world, and for your sins.
Jesus was ridiculed, buffeted, and beaten for you and me. The prophet Isaiah described His appearance as “marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” (See Isaiah 52:13-15) He willingly became our guilt offering as He was nailed to the cross. (See Isaiah 53)
How much does God love this hurting, hopeless world? “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” (Romans 5:8-9, NASB)
You can have hope, for not only did Jesus, the Son of God, die for the sins of the world, but He arose the third day, victorious over death, hell, and the grave. If you will entrust your life to Him as Savior and Lord, He promises to always be with you. He will “never leave you nor forsake you.” He’ll be your constant friend and companion. Through prayer you can “cast your every care on Him, for He cares about you!” Your future can be as bright as the promises of God. “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Yes, God proved His love and care for a hurting world by bearing our hurt and sin on the cross. But many are apathetic toward God’s love and offered hope. They pass by the cross, looking up in empty response. “So what?” they say. “Who cares?” they ask. “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we will die.” Alexander McClaren says, “There are none more monstrous than the men who look, as some are doing, untouched on Christ’s sacrifice and listen unmoved to Christ’s pleadings.”
Some live hopeless because they are discontent with Christ’s love and suffering for them. They cry out to God, “I know You sent Jesus to die for my sins, but God, I need more than this!”
Not only did Jesus endure the physical pain of the cross, but the apathy and rejection of a lost world.
Are you hurting today? No one understands like Jesus. He cared enough to lay down His life on the cruel cross for our sins. Will you lay down your life for Him? He offers to you the hope of eternal life, and a life of abundant peace and joy. (See John 3:16)
Are you hurting? An old placard that hung on my grandmother’s living room wall said it best, “Earth has no sorrows that Jesus cannot heal.” Roger Loomis discovered that as a young boy. I hope you have.
Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NASB)
Call out to Him today. His hands reach out to you with hope and healing.
Shalom.
