Scripture: Gal. 4:4; 1 Tim. 2:5; 3:16; Heb. 4:15, 16; 1 John 4:1-3.

No matter how beautiful a day may begin, there’s always tragic news to be found somewhere in the world—and we’ve found plenty this week:

It’s being called the largest child-welfare operation in Texas history. Recently more than 400 children (most of them girls) were rescued from a polygamist sect and taken into safe custody. Girls 14 and 15 years old were reportedly forced to marry much older men, and wives were bound to the compound for life--isolated from the outside world. The leader of the sect was arrested and waits in jail as investigations continue.

Approximately one million small farmers in central Chile may face grave consequences caused by a severe winter drought. This will affect the price of food as well as the availability of energy. With a large majority of lakes and ponds dry, more than two-thirds of Chile’s provinces have been declared emergency agricultural zones. The drought not only affects the economy, but the personal lives of men, women and children.

When a U.S. soldier was killed in a roadside blast in Baghdad last week, the week’s death toll for U.S. troops rose to 19—the highest so far this year.  Since the war began, the constantly changing toll now stands at a staggering 4,035 American deaths.

The soaring price of food has triggered riots in Haiti, Bangladesh and Egypt. Jeffery Sachs, director of Columbia University’s Earth Institute said last week, “This is the world’s biggest story… There are riots all over the world in poor countries… and of course our own are feeling it in the United States.”  And that’s not all the United States is feeling. Thousands of strapped homeowners are simply abandoning their homes before foreclosure even begins.  And gas prices have reached $3.39 a gallon nationwide-- the highest EIA actual price recorded.

It’s a good thing that this week’s lesson brings us some good news! And the good news is that Someone understands—really understands. When Jesus came to earth, our God chose to also become a human. Living among us, Jesus knew what it was like to be hungry, to feel lonely, to be mistreated by evil men, to have concerns about the future.  Jesus could have come and died for us in just one day. But our Savior wanted to do more than that. Jesus wanted to live like us so that we would know “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb. 4:15, NIV). When you go to Jesus in prayer, you can know you’re going to One who understands—One who has felt pain, sorrow, the sting of tears, and ultimately death.

And if that weren’t enough, scripture tells us the Jesus will forever retain our human nature with heaven’s Divinity, bringing eternal solidarity. That’s a love we can hardly fathom. That’s the love of our Savior.

 ~ nc

 Creative Ministry Center.   www.creativeministry.org