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Hope and encouragement for the people of Israel towards restoration and reformation.

REFLECTION

Strong in grief is the theme for today’s reflection. Grief is a state of deep sadness or intense sadness usually occasioned by the death of a person or a regret over a remorseful act. The Jews were under the Persian empire as a result of their disobedience to God. They had great concern for their liberation, restoration of the Temple(Symbol of Spiritual and Worship life) and reformation as a nation. The role of the Prophet Zechariah was to encourage them to be strong in time of grief.

It is usually difficult to be emotionally and spiritually strong in times of grief. Indeed, an emotionally weak person may not be motivated spiritually to pray and rely on God in challenging times. It is for this reason God called servants like Zechariah and others to make known His love and promises to His people who were in a state of grief and despair. Beloved in the Lord, When you find yourself in a state of grief your mind is most often than not, clouded with many unanswered questions. Some of these questions are, why me? Why at this time of my life, should I be going through this hardship or tragedy? When will this agony pass? My dear friend, you are not alone in times of grief, Jesus also experienced and expressed grief on the cross when He said “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

My dear friend in the Lord we are made strong and encouraged in the time of grief through Zechariah’s words to the Jews that “…I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10). Although, Israel will mourn because they will come to a realisation that their sins had “pierced” God, God has promised to make His grace available to them and show them mercy. God can make us strong in times of grief occasioned by physical or spiritual death through His grace and mercy.

Physical grief happens when a beloved person dies or a great misfortune befalls us but Spiritual grief happens when our sins make us estranged from God like the prodigal son. Regardless of the kind of grief, you may be experiencing today the Lord assures us that we should be strong in grief because “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (1 Corinthians 12:9). For those who are in the state of grief because of their sins, we must return to Jesus like the prodigal son returned to the Father in sorrow but was restored to sonship and a state of joy. (Luke 15:11-32) My dear friend “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Roman 6:1-4)

I encourage you today to rely on God’s offer of grace and mercy through His Son Jesus Christ and be strong in grief. Whatever grief you are experiencing Jesus understands therefore cast your burdens onto Him and He will surely make you strong in grief and liberate you through the power of the Holy Spirit. Shalom.

PRAYER

Merciful God, continue to empower us to overcome the grief we experience in life. Enable us to remain strong in righteousness and be victorious over sin. Amen

Jean-Paul Agidi(Rev)