I know many of you this morning come into worship with heavy hearts and burdens. For some of you, it is health concerns, relational problems, financial difficulties, anxieties about family members making poor moral decisions, and a host of other issues. I want you to know that none of these catch God by surprise. God is not shocked by your pain; he oversees your pain as a tender Father, a compassionate Son, and a comforting Spirit.
When nothing else seems right in the world, it is right and good that you come to worship. It is right and good that the balm of Gilead is applied to your wounds. It is right and good that the Gospel is portrayed wholly, lucidly, and consistently. The worst decision you could make this season is finding refuge in idols and entering into the ugly dance of victimhood. But the best decision you can make is to worship the Triune God with believers in Messiah Jesus, our true victim.
There is nothing more alleviating than the name of Jesus to soothe our sorrows, heal our wounds, and drives away our fear. Jesus is the man of sorrows who took your sorrows and who rose from the sorrows of death for our salvation. He is the true healer who calls you today to cast your cares on him, for he cares for you.
Amen and amen! As Saint John Chrystostom said, “The Church is a hospital for souls.”