Jesus sympathises with you
One of my friends once told me proudly, “We’re hosting a week-long prayer conference in our church. Every night we come together for two hours to pray, and on the last day we’ll do 24/7 prayer!”
I paused for a moment and asked him, “How can you do 24/7 in one day?” 🤔 Then we both burst out laughing. In his enthusiasm, he forgot that the ‘7’ in 24/7 means 7 days, not just one day.😅
This week you and I will do the opposite, over the course of seven days, we’ll reflect on a specific 24-hr time period in Jesus’ life. So, kind of like 24/7, but different. 😜
The 24 hours are filled with both incredible highs and profound lows. These stories, found in Matthew 14, Mark 6, Luke 9, and John 6, reveal a Jesus who experienced the full range of human emotions.
His day began with the devastating news of John the Baptist's execution. Imagine the pain of losing a dear friend and cousin, a man who had paved the way for Jesus' ministry. Jesus needed time to grieve, to be alone with His thoughts and His Father.
But before He could withdraw, His disciples returned, eager to share their experiences of healing and teaching. Mark 6 says that they... “reported ALL they had done and taught" (Mark 6:30 NIV)
Even in His grief, Jesus listened, encouraged, and shared their joy. Then, a massive crowd appeared, seeking healing and help. Moved with compassion, Jesus healed the sick. As the day wore on, He fed the 5,000, a miraculous act of provision (Mark 6:30-44).
Finally, He sent the disciples away and went to pray, seeking solitude.
Hebrews 4:15 reminds us:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. – Hebrews 4:15 NIV
Jesus felt temptation, anger, betrayal, compassion, isolation, threat, grief, pain, joy, and the relentless demands of others—and His day was just getting started.
No matter what you’re going through today, you can rest assured that Jesus knows exactly how you feel. He sympathises with you.
Know that He is with you in every way and that you can be comforted in the simple fact that He gets you because He’s been through it Himself.
