Letters to My Friend - Thoughts On North Carolina and Loss

Dear Friend,

My heart is heavy for the people in Western North Carolina. We were aware that some serious destruction had happened last week. My husband has family there still and we checked in to make sure they were O.K. They were, but one household had just missed being in the worst of it. They are not terribly far from Asheville.

This weekend as I've looked at videos that are coming out of western North Carolina, Tennessee, and other areas, it was both horrifying and sobering. The speed at which rivers and creeks rose, mud slides started, and people's homes and vehicles were breached was truly frightening. And, knowing that so many have lost so much all at one time is overwhelming. The destruction is mind boggling.

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Worth Repeating - The Heaviest Cross - by Annie Johnson Flint

 

The Heaviest Cross

It is not His cross that is heavy;

It is those that our hands have made

That hinder us on our journey,

On our aching shoulders laid;

There is strength for the load He gives us,

And balm for the thorn He sends,

But none for the needless burdens

And none for our selfish ends.

We bear a burden of sorrow;

We carry a weight of gold;

We cling to some treasured idol,

And will not loose our hold:

We bend beneath trouble and worries;

We drag a load of wrong;

And we cry that the cross is heavy,

And sigh that the way is long.

Let us drop the sin that besets us;

Let us cast aside our fears;

Let us give our grief to Jesus;

And break our pitcher of tears;

Let us learn of the meek and lowly

Who giveth the weary rest;

Let us take His yoke upon us,

And walk with Him abreast;

For His yoke is easy to carry,

And His burden is light in weight;

He will do His share of the labor,

For He is a true yoke-mate.

Are we weary and heavy-laden?

Are we anxious and full of care?

That is not the cross of His giving,

But the one that we make and bear.

Annie Johnson Flint

So Many Hurting People

Sometimes it feels like every time we go to church meeting or answer the phone or look at a text message or read an email, there is some pain or suffering or burden. Whether it's the sorrow of seeing people we know and love walking away from the truth or someone we care about who is dealing with health or personal difficulties or tragedy. The adversary is very busy these days making conflict and trouble for anyone who is even trying at little to follow Jesus Christ.

Some days it's hard to keep lifting when we are so often in the midst of our own struggles. Yet this is the very thing that we should do in obedience to the Lord and because we are His disciples.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

This song reminded me of why we need to keep helping one another and those who need redemption through Christ.

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The Voice of One Who Wept

Today I heard the voice of one who wept
In far off lands
Because of sin and misery,
And begged with outstretched hands
For one small lamp to light his dark.
Now fain I would have slept,
So - stopped my ears, but in my heart
That sobbing voice still wept.

And then I heard the voice of one who
Counted not the cost,
But left His ivory palaces to seek and
Save the lost.
He said, "The sound of one who weeps
Is coming up to Me.
Dost thou forget that last command
Which I gave unto Thee,
To preach my Word to all the world?"

O, bitter be our shame!
Still hopeless millions walk the earth
Who never heard His Name,
And still the world spends lavishly
In every crowded mart,
And still the voice of Him who wept
Is sobbing in my heart!

by Martha Snell Nicholson

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 

Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

Through good report and evil, Lord,
Still guided by Thy faithful Word,
Our staff, our buckler and our sword,
We follow Thee.

In silence of the lonely night,
In the full glow of day's clear light,
Through life's strange windings, dark or bright,
We follow Thee.

Horatius Bonar

Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 

I must tell Jesus all of my trials;

I cannot bear these burdens alone;

In my distress He kindly will help me;

He ever loves and cares for His own.

Tempted and tried, I need a great Savior;

One who can help my burdens to bear;

I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus;

He all my cares and sorrows will share.

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

I cannot bear my burdens alone;

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

Elisha Hoffman

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I Understand

Hast thou been hungry, child of mine?

I, too, have needed bread;

For forty days I tasted naught

Till by the angels fed.

Hast thou been thirsty? On the cross

I suffered thirst for thee!

I've promised to supply thy need,

My child, come unto me.

Perhaps thy way is weary oft,

Thy feet grow tired and lame;

I wearied when I reached the well,

I suffered just the same;

And when I bore the heavy cross

I fainted 'neath the load;

And so I've promised rest to all

Who walk the weary road.

Doth Satan sometimes buffet thee,

And tempt thy soul to sin?

Do faith and hope and love grow weak,

And doubts and fears within?

Remember I was tempted thrice.

By this same foe of thine;

But he could not resist the Word,

Nor conquer power divine.

When thou art sad and tears fall fast

My heart goes out to thee,

For I wept o'er Jerusalem--

The place so dear to me:

And when I came to Lazarus' tomb

I wept--my heart was sore;

I'll comfort thee when thou dost weep,

Till sorrows all are o'er.

Susan C. Umlauf

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.