Introduction:
Author Edgar Jackson poignantly
describes grief: Grief is a young
widow trying to raise her three
children, alone. Grief is the
man so filled with shocked uncertainty
and confusion that he strikes
out at the nearest person. Grief
is a mother walking daily to a
nearby cemetery to stand quietly
and alone a few minutes before
going about the tasks of the day.
She knows that part of her is
in the cemetery, just as part
of her is in her daily work. Grief
is the silent, knife-like terror
and sadness that comes a hundred
times a day, when you start to
speak to someone who is no longer
there. Grief is the emptiness
that comes when you eat alone
after eating with another for
many years.
Grief is teaching yourself to
go to bed without saying good
night to the one who had died.
Grief is the helpless wishing
that things were different when
you know they are not and never
will be again. Grief is a whole
cluster of adjustments, apprehensions,
and uncertainties that strike
life in its forward progress and
make it difficult to redirect
the energies of life.Charles Swindoll,
Growing Strong, p. 171.
Transition:
The longer we live, the more likely
we are to experience grief much
like those I just shared with
you. No one enjoys it, looks forward
to it, nor embraces it as a close
friend. In fact, we had all rather
not answer the door to grief....hoping
that it will pass us by. But in
reality, that just isn’t
so. Grief strikes all of us, regardless
of our age, sex or race.
When
I attended East Texas Baptist
University almost 20 years ago....
wow.... time flies when your having
fun! One of my professors, Dr.
Donald Potts made an impact on
my life that only few have made.
Dr. Potts spent time with me during
my college days crisis. It seemed
everyday brought a new crisis,
or so I thought.
One
day in class, Dr. Potts spoke
to all of the young pastors about
grief. He has a heart for those
who grieve and when he spoke about
it, you knew that he had experienced
grief first-hand.
He
spoke from our text that we are
looking at today, and said, "This
is a text about a woman Whom God
is concerned with." This
text speaks about true grief in
the life of this woman, whom in
the midst of her adversity and
grief, learned how to exercise
hope in Christ.
I.
The Woman God Is Concerned About
Is Hopeful When She Grieves.
A. God understands our grief.
B. God cares about our grief.
C. God can bring us through our
grief.
D. God will make something beautiful
out of our grief.
II.
The Woman God Is Concerned About
Is Hopeful When She Believes.
A. God is aware of us.
"You (God) keep close watch
on everywhere I go." Job
13:27 (NCV)
B. God cares for us.
"The Lord is good. He protects
those who trust Him in times of
trouble." Nahum 1:7 (CEV)
C. God wants to help us
"Whenever we are in need,
we should go bravely before the
throne of our merciful God. There
we will be treated with
kindness, and we will find help."
Hebrews 4:16 (CEV)
III. The Woman God Is Concerned
About Is Hopeful When She Perceives.
A. God will not ignore us.
B. God will not forget us.
C. God will not abandon us.
IV. The Woman God Is Concerned
About Is Hopeful When She Receives.
A. God gives us grace.
B. God gives us comfort.
C. God gives us strength.
Conclusion:
A number of years ago researchers
performed an experiment to see
the effect hope has on those undergoing
hardship. Two sets of laboratory
rats were placed in separate tubs
of water. The researchers left
one set in the water and found
that within an hour they had all
drowned. The other rats were periodically
lifted out of the water and then
returned. When that happened,
the second set of rats swam for
over 24 hours. Why? Not because
they were given a rest, but because
they suddenly had hope!
Those animals somehow hoped that
if they could stay afloat just
a little longer, someone would
reach down and rescue them.
If hope holds such power for unthinking
rodents, how much greater should
is effect be on our lives.
Today in the Word, May, 1990,
MBI, p. 34
