by Victoria Heinecke

What a friend we have in Jesus.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:15-16 English Standard Version

The cherries have been delicious this year. There’s a bumper crop, and these plentiful little fruits have made for delightful desserts this summer. They remind me of the phrase, “life is just a bowl of cherries.” The phrase likely originated with a George Gershwin song written about one hundred years ago. The phrase can mean living a carefree life, a call to live in the moment. It can also mean that, within a bowl of sweet cherries, there may be a sour one here or there.

It’s not always easy to tell a sweet cherry from a sour one. The light red cherries in this bowl were just as juicy and sweet as the dark ones. However, if you have ever tasted a sour cherry, that tartness can come as a surprise. It’s like biting into a lemon.

For many of us, life has been anything but a bowl of cherries this year. It seems as if the bumps in the road are more frequent, and sometimes more devastating. Job losses, income interruptions, and grieving the loss of face-to-face relationships with our family and friends take their toll on our well being. Life seems to give us one sour cherry after another.

Jesus understands what we’re going through. He knows what we’re facing because, as a man who walked the earth with us, he’s experienced those feelings as well. He has felt sadness (1), and he has also felt compassion (2) and righteous anger (3). He has hungered (4) and thirsted (5), and he has felt alone (6). He understands us.

Jesus does not always take away the sour cherries in our lives, but he will help us bear them. Give your concerns to him before you go to sleep; he’ll be up all night, anyway. Be at peace.

Scripture references:

1. John 11:35
2. Matthew 9:36
3. John 2:13-16
4. Matthew 4:2
5. John 19:28
6. Matthew 27:46

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado