April 18, 2025 Devo

Yesterday was a hard day. I dealt with a lot of people going through some really hard stuff. Another marriage is facing divorce. Another family suffered the loss of someone they loved. Another tough diagnosis that could lead to some difficult long-term treatment. Another person struggling to make sense of the endless waves of life’s troubles. My guess is that there are a lot of you who could add your own tragic tales of woe to this list. Some days remind me of Martin Luther’s encouragement to pastors: “Preach to broken hearts because there’s one in every pew.” Amen to that, Martin.
And now, it’s Good Friday. Though “good” is not the word many of us would choose, it really is good. Think about it. Good Friday marks when God fulfilled our verse for today in a dramatic and powerful way. When Jesus was born, God Himself drew near to the earth. He was born as one of us. He walked among us. He ministered directly to us. But on the cross, He stepped all the way into our brokenness. He was no longer a God observing human suffering. He not only suffered for us, He suffered WITH us.
The cross is the reminder that God came close enough to experience the rejection that many of us have come to know. He learned firsthand what it was like to have friends who leave you when you need them the most. He felt the sting of utter betrayal and the humiliation of His closest friend saying he didn’t even know Him. On Good Friday, Jesus came close enough to feel our humiliation, the unfairness we have to deal with, and the agony of a broken, suffering body. And then, He experienced what it feels like to take your one last gasp of air before death. How close did God come to the brokenhearted? Close enough to step into our skin and go through it with us.
So today, if you are one of those whose world has been shaken, whose body is failing, or who is reeling from any number of the troubles that plague us here on earth, I offer you this one consolation. You are not alone. The God who loves you, the God to whom you pray, is not a stranger to your struggles. He has walked in your shoes, lived in your pain, and understands everything you are facing now. Reach out to Him today. Good Friday taught us that He is closer than you ever imagined. That’s God’s Word for you today.