Respite from the pain

Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes (Revelations 21:3-4).

I know several people who are really suffering right now. Pain above and beyond what we think we can bear. Maybe you know some too. Maybe you are one.

Lord, have mercy. We don’t understand such pain and deep suffering. For people of faith, even though we are told to expect it in this world, we seek rescue from it. But there are times when there seems to be none. We run out of words to pray; to describe this unending trauma. There seems to be no comfort that works except to fall into Your arms Jesus, and cry gallons of tears.

I remember my mom rocking me in her favorite chair when I was a child with a toothache. The wordless lull-a-bye tunes, the forward and back rhythm of the rocker, her arms around me holding me in her lap, my head on her chest nuzzled into her neck, listening to her heartbeat. Truly a place of comfort and rest for a child. I remember too, her sitting on the edge of the couch and rubbing my back for seemingly hours while I was down with the flu or some other bug. She rubbed my back while I watched TV. Another place of comfort and respite in the midst of pain

So I say to all of you suffering great pain: curl up on the couch (God’s lap), wrap yourself up in a cozy quilt (God’s arms), let your thoughts drift to the gentle sound of waves lapping on the lakeshore (Gods lull-a-bye), and rest in the rhythm of His heartbeat. May your cries turn to whimpers, turn to sighs, turn to steady breathing. Experience the living Father … granting you respite in your time of need.