Is today filled with sorrow, beloved? It is for many of us, dear readers. Our Man of Sorrows, our suffering Servant, our Savior Jesus Christ understands our suffering, sadness, and loss.
This week, let’s remember Jesus who is so near to us in our sadness because He is our Man of sorrows. May He comfort and bless you in today’s sorrowing, by His living and active Word shared here.
Jesus is my Man of Sorrows
Man of sorrows what a name
for the Son of God, who came
ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
“’Man of Sorrows,’ What a Name,” Bliss, P. P. (1875)
The echoes of Christmas carols still ring faintly, from just a few months ago. Jesus left His place of preeminent glory in heaven, love incarnated. Hallelujah, what a Savior.
He became human, purposefully experiencing the same loss and sorrow we have today. In His perfect and righteous life on earth, He grieved and wept as we do.
Jesus wept….deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled (Jn. 11:33-34 ESV).
He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief (Is. 53:3a ESV).
He is carrying our sorrow today, beloved in Christ, fully understanding our loss and pain.
Jesus suffered and died to rescue me and heal my sin
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
in my place condemned he stood,
sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed (Is 53:5 ESV).
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (I Pet. 2:24-25 ESV).
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (Jn. 3:16-17 ESV).
He endured wounding, crushing, chastising, murdering pain to heal and rescue us from our sin. Though our outward bodies are wasting away in loss, though death lingers in this fallen world of sin, He is lovingly renewing our inner self daily, so “we don’t lose heart” (2 Cor. 4:16).
Our Shepherd, the Man of Sorrows will help you endure this suffering, dear one.
Jesus loves me
Guilty, helpless, lost were we;
blameless Lamb of God was he,
sacrificed to set us free:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
When we love, we sorrow when saying goodbye. Jesus understands this sorrow of loss and separation. In His deep love for you, He endured separation from our Father, so that we who are His will be with Him forever. In His love for you as His disciple, He experienced immeasurable sorrow and agony of being forsaken. Sorrow and love did indeed flow mingled down.
“My soul is very sorrowful, even unto death…My father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Mt. 26: 38-39 ESV).
He was lifted up to die;
“It is finished” was his cry;
now in heaven exalted high:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Jesus is praying for me in my sorrow
Now, Jesus has returned to His exalted place at the right hand of God the Father (Acts 5:31). What is He doing for us there?
He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors (Is. 53:12b ESV).
Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us (Rom. 8:34 ESV).
Beloved, Jesus Himself is praying for you in your sorrow today. He is near to you.
Jesus comforts me in my sorrow
In the midst of Jesus’s sorrow as He began to say goodbye to His disciples, He comforted them with a powerful promise of hope, joy, and eternal presence with Him. May this comfort you today as well, beloved disciple.
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you (Jn. 16:22 ESV).
What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him (I Cor. 2:9 ESV).
When he comes, our glorious King,
all his ransomed home to bring,
then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Singing Christ’s Hope Into Your Suffering
Let’s sing of our hope in Christ, into our sorrow and suffering today. Let’s receive the Lord’s comfort as we sing to Jesus of His everlasting love, of His indwelling love by His Spirit, of His sacrificial love for us on the cross. How I pray that this week’s playlist will come alongside you with the love of your Savior, the Man of Sorrows who knows your grief, pain, and sorrow. If it would bless you to receive this music, sign up here and it will arrive by email.
