As I look around the circle of my Monday morning spiritual sisters I see such radiant servants. These women are truly passionate about their Savior and have a deep desire for others to come to know Him. Over the years, as I've listened to their sharing and peeked into their hearts, I've also seen deep longing and hurt. An ache that won't go away. It seems that many us have siblings, parents, spouses or children who don't know Jesus.
Oh, these dear ones may know all about Him. Many were raised in the Christian homes right alongside us or by us. But somehow their paths have taken very different turns. Friends, alcohol, drugs, self-reliance, complacency all led these loved ones farther and farther away from truth. They turned their backs on God openly or subtly.
For others, my friends are the first in their family to be found by God. Their loved ones haven't thought about Him much and don't intend to. They may look upon their sister, daughter, or mother's faith as a passing fancy, a crutch or a threat that must be attacked.
But each sister longs for her loved ones to be part of her spiritual family as well as her earthly family. Jesus, when living on earth, knew just what that longing and ache felt like. He had earthly brothers who He cared deeply about in His human nature. During His growing up years He played with them, sat at the supper table with them and took "family vacations" to the temple with them. Imagine packing up for a feast day celebration. No arguing over whose feet were on whose side of the family donkey. I believe these siblings had a special place in His human heart.
But as Jesus was going about His heavenly Father's business, these brothers were rejecting Him. They did not believe He was who He said He was; the Son of God come to be the Savior. That must have hurt Christ's human heart and emotions deeply. When He was alone praying on the mountain different times, I wonder if there were heartfelt pleas to His heavenly Father for the salvation of His earthly brothers.
The Bible tells us that Jesus became fully man and therefore understands every weakness, temptation, fear and hurt we face. This tells me that He personally understands our aching for the souls of our loved ones. He is not detached, impersonal or removed. He has been there. As we pray for the salvation of dear ones, Christ Himself takes those prayers and presents them to His Father with a love born out of perfect, personal experience.
I believe Christ, being fully man, would have loved to see His brothers walking in faith during His earthly ministry. But that wasn't His Father's plan. Christ trusted His Father's timing. Perhaps there are some of us who won't see our loved ones come to faith during our lifetimes. We can take comfort from Christ. And perhaps some of those we pray so fervently for won't be brought to a saving faith. No matter what the eventual outcome, we will all proclaim with Christ that the Father's plans are only good and perfect. Until we reach eternity we can continue interceding, knowing that Christ truly understands.
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