God With Us

 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

“God is intensely concerned for the weak, the orphaned, the poor, and the powerless. God is committed to justice because, remarkably, he identifies with the poor. Only in Jesus Christ do we learn just how far God would go to identify with the poor and oppressed.

—The Songs of Jesus by Tim Keller

In a recent Jobs for Life class our participants shared the “roadblocks” they had faced during childhood, their teen years, and adulthood—obstacles that continued to hold them back in their attempts to move forward. As each person spoke, we were struck by how many of their current struggles were caused by others' sins against them. Though these challenges were not their fault, the consequences of those sins had become their responsibility.

As participants shared, common themes of abandonment, abuse, isolation, and neglect emerged.

It was an emotionally heavy time.

After the sharing time, we took a break. The participants gathered around one table and offered hugs, words of encouragement, and wiped one another's tears. Amy Talton, our Director of Community Care, stepped in with words of wisdom, healing, and hope.

In the midst of the shared pain, we sensed God's healing presence among our friends. Laughter replaced sobs, and formerly downcast heads were miraculously lifted.

Only a God who fully identifies with us in Jesus can do such a work.

It was a holy moment.