ANGUISH: Having eyes to cry with
John 11:35 Jesus wept.
The death toll in Turkey and Syria is now approaching the 50,000 mark with the WHO predicting that it could increase eight-fold within the next few weeks. Words are inadequate to describe the deep sense of loss, hopelessness, and utter devastation that has now besieged these two nations. Lives and livelihoods have been buried in the rubble together with dreams and hopes.
An honest question that every follower of Christ needs to answer in a season of hardship is this: “Do we still feel the anguish of our Saviour?” Do we really? Or have our senses been dulled by politics, load-shedding, and corruption? Have we as Christians lost the art of weeping in our endeavours to “feel good” about our Christian experience?
Anguish, that deep inner pain that floods our souls when we witness the hardships of others, is not a Christian duty, it’s a Christian DNA. It is a virtue that defines those who share the heart of Christ. We care not because we have to, but because of who we are. If God is the Father of compassion, then we become children of compassion. If the DNA of Anguish is absent, then something is wrong. ANGUISH is non-negotiable. It is the trademark, the ID Document, of what we believe and Who we confess.
I’ll never forget one of our visits to Upper Egypt where we met Brother Atif. As a banker, Brother Atif is involved in mercy ministries and also shares the gospel with everyone he meets. This not only jeopardises his work but also endangers his safety and his life.
“I am willing to give my head (my life) for the people I serve,” Brother Atif shared. The boldness and perseverance combined with such a gentle and humble spirit reflected the God he proclaimed.
“Do you encounter any opposition?” was our obvious question.
“Much, much!” he answered “There is not one month in the past 12 years in which I was not called in by security.”
“Then how do you do it?” we asked.
And this was his answer: “As believers in this region, we have only two things: our knees to pray with and our eyes to cry with!”
The virtue of anguish cannot be bypassed. Without acknowledging that we have “eyes to cry with”, we dare not confess that we follow a Saviour who wept when He encountered people in need. And it is absolutely crucial that we comprehend this.
In Exodus 33:18, we find a compelling Scripture where Moses pleads with God for His presence and to show him His glory. Listen to God’s answer: “Then Moses said, ‘Now show me Your glory.’ And the LORD said, ‘I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim My name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’”
God’s glory is revealed in His goodness, in His mercy, and in His compassion. This is His glory. This is His DNA
Listen to how the reign of Jesus is described in Luke 4:18-21.
“’The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him, and He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’”
And listen to how Paul describes God in 2 Corinthians 1:3.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.”
The Father of compassion, the God of ANGUISH.
Do you have eyes that cry for the people of Turkey and the people of Syria?