Articles
Jesus Knows How It Feels
He came into the world to suffer. Hunger, thirst, fatigue, temptation, poverty, the agonies of death at its worst.
Slandered by His enemies, rejected by those He came to bless, and mocked even as He was paying the ultimate price for their redemption and ours: His blood.
“. . . Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God . . . . For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18).
“Once He came,” wrote Fulton Sheen, “then never again could they say, ‘He does not know what it is like to suffer’” (Life is Worth Living, 209).
For the Christian, here’s one of the most comforting promises in Scripture: “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).
He suffered. He understands. He cares!
Shouldn’t that be sufficient to lift our spirits on a dark day?
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
