LISTENING TO AND PRAYING FOR YOLANDA SURVIVORS

With my brother Derwin

LISTENING TO AND PRAYING FOR YOLANDA SURVIVORS

With Ptr. James Pablo

Matthew 2:16-18 (ESV)

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more."

WHY?

The birth of Jesus tells us that…

The birth of Jesus tells us that…

•He was sent to a world full of pain.

Face your pain

Don’t deny it.

Don’t minimize it.

The birth of Jesus tells us that…

•He was sent to a world full of pain.

The birth of Jesus tells us that…

•He was sent to a world full of pain.

•He shares in our pain.

Feel the presence of God in your pain

Don’t look for substitutes.

The birth of Jesus tells us that…

•He was sent to a world full of pain.

•He shares in our pain.

The birth of Jesus tells us that…

•He was sent to a world full of pain.

•He shares in our pain.

•He will save us from all our pain.

Hope in the promises of God

Don’t ever give up.

The coming of Jesus gives us the hope of never-ending comfort in the midst of our life's seemingly never-ending pain.

...this identification speaks of a God who feels our human pain as deeply as we do...To broken people wounded by this world's evil, Jesus' sharing our pain offers a consolation deeper than reasoned arguments: God truly understands and cares -and paid an awful price to begin to make things better. (Craig Keener)