“A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a
time to dance.�
-Ecclesiastes 3:4
I have been to a great number of funerals. There is
something about funerals that is so heartbreaking and touching. To lose a life
of one you love is always hard a friend, husband, wife, or child. The reality
is that their souls are no longer here on the earth.
Citizen’s Of Hope was invited to go to a funeral in Uganda.
At first I was thinking, “this is not right, we don’t know who died, and we
will be just a bunch of white people on display.� I felt heavy in my spirit as
I approach the funeral. I composed myself, took a deep breath and noticed my
surroundings. Women, men and children everywhere, sitting on the ground near
the lifeless body.
We were asked to sit down and introduce ourselves. I was the
last person to speak and I felt words of comfort spill out of my mouth. I began
to speak about Jesus when he went to Lazarus funeral. He wept for Lazarus
before He displayed His power of raising Lazarus from the dead. This action
shows the Father’s heart. Each life on earth is valuable to Him. He is a Lord
of comfort and understanding.
While I was speaking, a woman and child came out of a bush
and bitterly wept loudly. She went on her knees before the crowd and hit the
ground and two men picked her up and dragged her away. In that moment I
wondered where is the compassion for this woman? Doesn’t anyone notice? Does
anyone care?
Our team said our condolences and began to walk away from
the sea of faces towards our vehicle. Something within me said, “STOP� and I
looked to my right and there was the woman and her child crying. Immediately, I
went towards the woman and wrapped my arms around her.
At the same time Amanda felt the same motion but towards the
child. I held the woman tightly as I began to pray in the Spirit over her. All
of the sudden sweet, broken tears came pouring out of my eyes upon her shoulder
and the two of us mourned the lost of her love one. Soon the woman’s troubled
heart began to settle and she was able to hold her child again. I walked away
from this woman, CHANGED.
I never have known the power of understanding and comforting
someone. To truly mourn with those who are mourning. In that second I
understood why Jesus took the time to indentify with the mourners at Lazarus funeral.
He didn’t have to cry. He could have just performed the miracle. No, Jesus made
sure the scripture in Isaiah was fulfilled,
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD
has anointed me to preach good news to
the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for
the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year
of the LORD’S favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who
mourn.�
-Isaiah 61:1-2
Jesus showed His power of understanding. Today He is asking
will you, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.� Romans
12:15
It was just a moment but I felt the Father’s heart
overlapping over my very own heart. This is not said for you to “Look at me and see how holy I am.� It is said
to challenge the body of Christ to ask for His heart. If you have the Father’s
heart you would do the same. Your life must reflect and look like Christ. So
wake up Church and be…
His hands and feet,
be the arms of love,
and comfort His
little ones.
“Blessed are those you mourn, for they will be comforted.�
-Matthew 5:4
