Christ Our Sympathizer
By Nelson Thomas Mumbai
“Nobody understands me” is a common refrain we often hear. They have their reasons to say so. Physical and mental exhaustion, lack of help and compassion from the near and dear ones, etc. aggravate the feelings of such individuals. Now if we try to give them a word of comfort or an idea to tackle the situation, they will still say, ‘You can’t understand my problem’.
Generally speaking, it is a fact that often man fails to understand each other.
Not only he misinterprets the words and deeds of another individual even misjudges the silence of others. As a result, there is no mutual understanding or care. Persistent suspicion and mistrust lead to further disagreement and discord. It is such judgmental attitude the Lord Jesus rebuked in Matthew 7:1
However, in such a painful situation a child of God can take heart; we have a Lord who can sympathize with us. While writing to encourage the depressed Hebrew Christians to continue to hold fast their confession of faith, the writer says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb.4:15)
Lord Jesus Christ has gone through all that we suffer today, even that which we have never suffered. When the almighty God took the form of a man except for sin, He was underestimated, misunderstood, and even mistreated. The Lord Jesus went through indescribable and incomprehensible humiliation and sufferings by the hands of man - His own creation. (Psalm.69:20; Hebrews 2:10) That’s exactly the reason why He can identify with us in all the tribulations face, whether inflicted by friends or foes. He is our merciful and faithful High Priest sympathetically pleading on behalf of us before the Father.
What a blessed privilege it is brethren, to remind our souls again that even if nobody understands us perfectly, we have a kind, compassionate Lord who is so close to us, and representing us in the presence of God. (1John.2:1, 2) Not only He knows our condition and needs; He can carry us through.
Just before His departure, the Lord Jesus told His disciples, “Because I live, you will also live.” Jn.14:19c. The triumphant resurrection of our Lord Jesus and His subsequent ascension to the right hand of the Father not only guarantees our life beyond the grave but also sustains us during our earthly life. Not only Christ suffered to procure our salvation, He lives forever to secure our salvation. Apostle Paul elaborates it further, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Rom.5:10.
So beloved, rejoice, our Lord lives to empathize and help. He can save us to the uttermost. Go to Him at any time to receive mercy and obtain much grace. (Hebrews 4:16; 7:25) Remember, the root cause of our depression and worry is not how others treat us, but how reluctant we are to go to this gracious Lord who is ever waiting for us at the throne of grace. As the hymn writer wisely put it,
“Oh, what peace we often forfeit;
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry;
Everything to God in prayer!”
Saints, approach the Lord Jesus who understands all about us and yet lovingly forbears with us. He is still working on us, not to abandon in between but to see the best in and through our life.
