A Greater Love
Dear Sisters in Christ,
"God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death.
Neither shall there be any more sorrow nor crying nor pain,
for the former things have passed away." Rev 21:4
What do we do with a broken heart? Pain of rejection, losing something important to us, not getting what we expected? Losing a loved one? We lost a giant in the faith this past month on Jan 9th, 2020. She has been one of our main prayer warriors, an example of following Christ in the good times and the bad. She’s been a sister in the faith to us all.
We are brokenhearted to hear of the struggles that she has endured while on this earth. Brokenhearted that she had to suffer for so long. Brokenhearted that we no longer have her here to talk to, gain wisdom from, or pray with. But God has given us a hope, that though we are brokenhearted, though we experience pain and suffering and loss, Christ in us is our hope of glory (Col 1:27). We know that the hope of Sharon’s heart has always been to love God and love others. To the very end, she knew that her hope was found on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, and we know that she is no longer sick or suffering, but is in the arms of Jesus.
We have the beautiful tension of the here and the not quite yet. The tension of the power of heaven in our hearts through the Holy Spirit; and yet this same power is being held in broken vessels in a broken world in need of a Savior. The righteous One. The One who is able to save (Ps 68:20). The One who will wipe every tear from their eyes.
This February, may we all be encouraged by our sister, Sharon’s example of going from glory to glory. If you are brokenhearted today (isn’t it supposed to be the month of love and hearts though??) know that there is a God who absolutely loves you and is near to the brokenhearted (Ps 34:18). He longs to take us to such a greater intimacy with Him in the midst of all of the valleys and the victories.
Prayer warriors, let us remember the battle that we are in within this broken world, take up our armor, and battle the best way we can: on our knees before our Lord who will fight for us (Ex 14:14). Be encouraged that you have been and are battling for those around you, those you pray for, that may be enduring some form of broken-heartedness or loss. Intercede for them this month. Reach out to them and pray with them in person if you can. Let us shine His light in the midst of the darkness of this world, because we know that even the gates of Hell cannot withstand the church (Mat 16:18).
In His grace,
Jaime Angel