Sorrows: Bidden to Cease

Jesus! The name that charms our fears,

That bids our sorrows cease;

‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,

'Tis life, and health, and peace.

The second thing that strikes me is that the Word of Jesus is sure and guaranteed for anyone who is abiding in Him, knowing sweet fellowship with Him. If Jesus guards and guides us, then He makes it His business to bid our sorrows cease. These are the sorrows which come to us to snatch our hopes and our joy, so that we live under the control of sorrow, grief, torments and much more; wicked forces which come to push us and keep us in a dour state of depression, hopelessness, despair and resignation. Resignation brings hopelessness. Hopelessness is of the evil one.

Sorrow is not what our Great Redeemer came to ensure we must live with, without any help. In other words, sorrow is not the force, the power that should be dictating our way of living in Him. Only for those who take Him at His Word, will His Name bid our sorrows cease. Here again, I openly share what transpired in my mind, as I sat in school with our Teacher.

The word, bid, kept me intently curious, as these words were brightened up before me. That bids our sorrows cease. The word bid, has numerous meanings, as you know, but the one which seemed not to go from me, is that of an auction, where bids are being made. I tried so hard to shake that meaning, but try as I might, I was unsuccessful. I simply had no choice but to surrender and listen.  May I say here, with deepest confession and all the sincerity in the world, that Jesus’ ways are never our ways. Jesus’ thoughts are never our thoughts. Jesus’ works are never our works and Jesus’ outcomes are never ours, for Jesus’ Word is never my human-engendered words. Please know it, believe it and practise it. Yes, I have learnt and am learning that if Jesus abides in me and controls me, He makes no mistakes in judgments. The same is true for you also.

With Jesus in full command, no input from my dead, carnal mind, I have been made to think of an auction where bids are being made. This was a rather unique auction, where bids were being made on sorrows. Many interested and genuinely wanting parties, were bidding on sorrows, to have sole control of them. Bids went like this.

I bid to offer words of comfort and encouragement to the sorrowing, so that he or she will have them always to listen to or read as needed.

Another came with a higher bid and said this. I bid the power to sympathise with those who sorrow, not just offer good, nice, comforting words, for I do pity them and genuinely feel sorry for them.

Up-raised was the hand of another bidder, offering an even higher bid. I bid the power and authority to empathise with the sorrowing. I will offer words of comfort and encouragement also, feeling pity but much more than pity. I am able to understand and share the feelings of the ones who are sorrowing. I have the capacity and power to put myself in the shoes of another, as it were. That is my job, which I do well. 

The Name that bids our sorrows cease, speaks His Word and trumps every single other bid, spoken and unspoken. Jesus speaks and sorrows cease.

Listen to this well-known miracle. Jesus has come upon a funeral procession where a widow is bent down with the sorrow of losing her only son. We are told that when Jesus saw her and all her comforters, who were mourning deeply with her, He had compassion on her. Yes, Jesus felt sorry for her, placed Himself with her sorrow, sympathising and empathising with her. He even told her, with deeply, caring voice, “Do not weep”. But Jesus went further. Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, Young man, I say to you, arise. So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. Luke 7: 14 - 15 NKJV. He made sorrows cease.

Indeed! The Name of Jesus is sweet to all believers who take Him at His Word, for just to have all your sorrows cease by His Name, is Supernaturally Sweet.