Jesus Understands
“As he [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had known this day what would bring you peace…’“Luke 19:41-42 (NIV).
As Jesus came into Jerusalem, He began to weep…not for Himself…but He wept for others. Jesus could see into the hearts of those in Jerusalem. He saw the pain of their hearts…the pain of what they were going through and, the pain of what would come. Just as Jesus could see into the people’s hearts in Jerusalem, Jesus can see into my heart and into your heart. He sees the pain of our heart…the pain of what we’ve been through…the pain of what we are going through today…and Jesus sees the pain of what you and I will go through in the future.
Jesus understands the hurting heart. Jesus understands the pain of loneliness…the pain of physical illness…the pain of not having enough money to pay the bills. Jesus understands the pain of overwhelmingness…the pain of guilt…the pain of regrets…the pain of failure. Jesus even understands the pain of the fear of tomorrow. He knows. He cares, and I believe, just as He wept for His beloved Jerusalem, He weeps for us. Jesus cried out to His people in Jerusalem and He cries out to you and to me, with the words, “If you only knew what would bring you peace.”
What will bring us peace? Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)…He Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Regardless of what you and I are going through, Jesus can sustain us, comfort us and strengthen us.
Today is a new day…a new beginning. With each new sunrise we are blessed with a new beginning. Each beginning brings with it new hope. May we trust Jesus to help us and wait with hopeful expectation. As we wait, sing hymns of praise to God (even if you don’t feel like it) and experience the peace and the hope that will flood into our hearts as we praise Him.
