Can You Hold Me?

Yesterday, late afternoon, Kimberly called. I could hear Seth (5yrs.old) crying in the back ground. I figured he had gotten hurt again (he just had to have stitches last Friday).  But then Kimberly said, "Chandler (our pet bunny) is dead." 

I jumped in the car and drove home.  I walked in the door, Seth took one look at me and started balling. I don't know if Kimberly and I cried with him or for him, but the poor guy's heart was broken. "Its OK to cry," I said, "You loved Chandler and so did we."  As I reached down to hug him, he asked, "Can you hold me?"

No wonder Jesus said that if we want to enter heaven we have to be like a child.   As we grow up, I suppose we are given the message in many ways that we ought to take care of ourselves or we should suck it up and get over it or we should be strong or we should never let anyone see us cry or dozen more lies that keep us locked up in pain. 

Jesus came to teach us that when we have our own "Chandler is dead moments" it is OK to cry or express your hurt.  You know, Jesus wept at the grave side of his friend Lazarus and that was right before he raised him from the dead.  He knew the Father was gong to give his friend new life but that did not stop him from weeping the reality of sin's worst expression in our world-death.

But Jesus teaches us more than to cry, he teaches us to turn and run to him.  Jesus said, "Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened I will give you rest."  Right now, whatever you are going through, Jesus is there.  His arms are outstretched to you.  He is just waiting for you to cry out, "Can you hold me?"  That is all the invitation he needs.  And when you experience the arms of God wrap around you, it does not mean all the pain will go away, but it does mean you will experience hope in the midst of pain.

A little bit later Anna came home from school.  Seth cried again.  But this time he said, "Anna, when Jesus comes back, Chandler will come back to life."  And right there, in that measly moment in the great scheme of things, I knew Jesus was standing with us next to a dead bunny.  I know that because it was not me, who reminded that little boy of the hope of the resurrection of the dead. 

You see, that is what Jesus does...You cry out, "Can you hold me?"  And when he does (and he will hold you) he whispers hope into your pain.  Are you hurting today?  Are you angry today?  Why not try it with me...come on...what do you have to loose?  I'll do it with you, "Jesus, can you hold me?"