Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. And all that we do and all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. Thank you for attending us in as we continue on in our devotional series in the book of Ecclesiastes wisdom for life's journey Wisdom for life's journey. We'll be talking in Ecclesiastes and our devotional of Ecclesiastes chapter 4 now You know As we look at this series, Wisdom for Life's Journey, we reflect on the painful realities of oppression, sorrow, and suffering, and how God offers us hope even in the midst of our tears. In Ecclesiastes chapter 4, verses 1 through 6, it reminds us that the oppressed often face sorrow without comfort, and the world can feel unjust. However, we're called to be comforters in the lives of those that are suffering, embodying God's compassion and care. In Psalms 56 8, the scripture reassures us that God sees every tear that we shed, and he remembers our suffering, storing our tears in his bottle as a sign of his deep love and attentiveness. In Psalms 9, verse 9 reinforces this truth, declaring that God is a refuge for the oppressed and a place of safety in times of trouble. In the shortest verse in the Bible, in John 11, verse 35, where Jesus wept, we see the profound of Christ, who thought, knowing that he would soon raise Lazarus from the dead, wept with those in grief. His tears remind us that he's not distant from our pain, but walks alongside us in our suffering. And as we reflect on these powerful scriptures, we learn that while suffering is a part of life's journey, God's presence and hope are never far away. He not only sees and remembers our pain, but he calls us to bring comfort and refuge to others. And in this world of tears, we're reminded that hope is found in God's compassion, and we can trust in his promise to walk with us through the darkest valleys. Here in this devotion, the challenges to us to be agents of hope in the lives of others, embodying the love and the care of Christ in a hurting world. We've got to remember that God is near to the brokenhearted, and we as his followers are called to be agents of his comfort and refuge. And so, if you would, turn to the book of Ecclesiastes. I'm going to be talking about hope amidst the tears. This is the seventh in my series that will be in, Wisdom for Life's Journey. in our devotions a man and in this we will be talking about how that We live in a world filled with suffering and oppression and heartache, and sometimes in the form of personal loss, societal injustice, or emotional pain, but we all face moments of tears. And the Bible doesn't shy away from the reality of human suffering, but in fact, it offers us hope amidst these tears. I'm going to be exploring how God sees and cares for the oppressed, the sorrowful, and the brokenhearted through powerful scriptures through Ecclesiastes, through Psalms, and through the Gospel of John. But when we look at this, we see in the Word of God that it talks about in Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verses 1 through 6 that it tells us, so I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun and behold the tears of such as were oppressed and they had no comforter and on the side of their oppressors there was power but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praise the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive in verse three. Yea, better is he than both they which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun." Again in verse 4. I considered all travail and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. Verse five, the fool folded his hands together, eateth his own flesh. And lastly, verse six, better is a handful with quietness than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. And so Ecclesiastes reflects on the reality of oppression and human striving. When we look at Psalms 56a, the Word of God says, And David's prayer was when he was captured by the Philistines in Gath. David pleads with God to remember his suffering and to record his tears, showing that God is aware of every sorrow. In Psalms 9, the Bible says the Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in the times of trouble. And it highlights that God is our refuge. He is our protector for those who are oppressed, providing shelter and strength in the times of trouble. And then the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11, 35, Jesus wept. In this verse, Jesus shows compassion for the mourning of people at the tomb of Lazarus. Knowing that he would raise Lazarus from the dead, Jesus wept, demonstrating his deep empathy for human suffering. Let's pray for a moment. Before we go any further, let's open up with a time of prayer and ask the Lord to bless everything that we're doing, that he may receive all the glory and the honor in the wonderful word of God. Amen. Because God knows exactly what we need before we ask. And so as we go to him in prayer, and ask him to do what no one else can for us. Let's open up and let's ask God to intervene into all of our lives so that we can have his blessing upon our lives. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the wonderful word of God and knowing that we've got hope In you, even in our darkest moments, we know that you are a refuge for the oppressed, that you remember every tear we shed, and that you walk alongside us in our suffering. Help us to be your comforters in a hurting world, and may your compassion flow through us as we trust in your hope amid our tears. In Jesus' marvelous mighty name, amen. You know, as we all face moments of pain and loneliness and struggles, We desperately need someone to see our hurt and to acknowledge it. Think about the comfort that comes when a friend says, I'm so sorry you're going through this. I'm here for you. You know, the teacher and the speaker in Ecclesiastes chapter 4 reflects this deep empathy as he observes the harsh realities of life. Because in verse 1 he said, I saw the tears of the oppressed and they have no comforter. He doesn't try to explain away suffering or offer shallow solutions. Instead, he acknowledges the brokenness of the world under the sun. And this simple act of naming the pain can be profound reminders of God's care for us, for He sees and He records every tear. One of the first things we see is the reality of the oppression. The teacher begins by confronting the truth about suffering in the world, that the oppressed have no comforter. He says in verse 1 of Ecclesiastes chapter 4, power was on the side of their oppressors. You know, oppression often leaves people feeling isolated and powerless, added to their pain. Power without justice. And so those in positions of power often misuse it, creating systems that perpetuate suffering. The psalmist said in Psalms 9420, shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by law? When we look at hope amidst the tears, we see the universality of suffering. Suffering is a shared human experience. It transcends race, status, and culture. And so we look and realize, recognize the pain that's around us, and we resist the temptation to look away or to minimize it. And so, Every one of us, when we go through all of the life, we remember the story of Corrie Ten Boom in the hiding place that she recounts the horror and experiences she and her family endured while hiding Jews from the Nazis in Holland. And despite the overwhelming oppression they faced. She found solace in her unwavering faith. And while many suffered and there seemed to be no comfort in sight, Corrie discovered that God was with them even in the deepest moments of despair. In our world, many faced oppression, whether due to poverty, injustice, or even emotional neglect. But Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verse 1 reminds us that oppression often leaves people without comforters. But in today's society, we see this in the homeless, those marginalized by society, and the voiceless victims of systematic injustice. And we might feel powerless to change these situations, but this verse reminds us that God sees our suffering and calls us to be comforters for those that are in pain. And so, When we look at all of the comparisons out of Ecclesiastes chapter 4, this entire chapter, we look and see there are six issues that trouble the human spirit. There are six issues that trouble the human spirit. When we look at the reality of oppression, number one in verses one, two, and three, we see the challenge of injustice. Life is marred by oppression where many people endure the hardships without comfort or relief. And so doing, we look. And we realize that through the problem of oppression, amen, that we are observing, amen. We see how this affects every one of us in different ways, amen. And one of the hardest things that we see As Solomon surveyed his kingdom and the world of his day, he observed something that troubled him greatly. In fact, it caused great stress and even despair in his life as king. He could not ignore the issue, nor could he eliminate it. What was this condition that brought such torment to Solomon's spirit? It was oppression. the domination and the manipulation of the less fortunate and the less powerful in life. And so, when we look and realize the challenge of injustice, we see that Solomon surveyed his kingdom and the world of his day, and he observed how troubled, how bad that it was, and what this condition that brought such torment to Solomon's spirit. Amen. We see when Solomon closely examined the circumstances under which people lived, he witnessed things that alarmed and disturbed him. servants and laborers trapped by the necessity of wages that were taken advantage of by masters who imposed unfair terms and conditions upon them. And so, that when we look and realize that through all of this that was taking place, We see the debtors that were harassed by cruel, merciless creditors. Tenants who were oppressed by hard, unreasonable landlords. Orphans who were abused by brutal, unloving guardians. Subjects who were exploited by the tyranny of princes and unjust judges. Richard Dehon notes that in Solomon's day it was not just uncommon for slaves to work from sunup to sundown every day of the week to be beaten by cruel taskmasters, to be deprived of family life, and to receive only enough food to keep body and soul together. Oppression, a growing problem in the nation of Israel, was an open violation of God's law. And so Solomon had a soft heart and a compassionate concern for those who suffered the injustices described here. And so, the oppressed wept openly due to their horrible mistreatment. Amen. The oppressed were helpless against the power of their oppressors. And the oppressed had no advocate, no one to console or comfort them. And so, after considering the condition of the oppressed, Solomon made two extreme, even shocking declarations regarding the severity of their afflictions in verses 2. and three, amen, that he talked about. And what he said, he said in verses two and three, Wherefore I praise the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better is he than both they which hath not yet been who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. And so, Here we look and we see the gross injustice of pain suffered by the oppressed, amen. The injustice and pain that was forced to endure was often worse than death is what he's talking about. And so the injustice and pain oppressed endured could be torturous, so bad that a person could wish he had never been born to witness such evil, amen. And so it's horrible out in these third world countries of what happens. Clearly, Solomon was greatly affected by the oppression of his day, and it robbed him of happiness. It was a factor that undoubtedly contributed to his hatred of life under the sun. Today, many people are so self-consumed that they're blind to the plight of others. But this was not true with Solomon. The king was consumed by it. And though most Christians are aware that oppression exists in the world, far too many ignore it. What is the Christian believer supposed to do in response to the oppression of others? We must not close our eyes to the suffering of people nor turn a deaf ear to their cries. We cannot ignore oppression and pretend that it does not exist. Number two, we must pray for those who are oppressed. Whether in our own community or on the other side of the world, those who are broken and exploited need our intercession before the throne of grace. And thirdly, we must encourage our leaders on the local, national, and international level to intervene and give the oppressed our full support. Fourthly, We must personally assist the needy when we have the opportunity to help. It's not enough to simply say to them, God bless you, I'll pray for you. We need to get involved and take action, not wait for someone else to step in to do the work. And so every one of us. How many remember the scripture of Matthew chapter 25 verses 35 down to 40 where it goes like this, For I was hungry, and you gave me meat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. Naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry? and fed thee, or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in, or naped, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. And so each and every one of us, we all are to bear one another's burdens to so fulfill the law of Christ according to Galatians. Amen. Each and every one of us, And so we see the very first of the six issues that trouble the human spirit is the challenge of injustice in verses 1, 2, and 3. The second thing that we see is in verse 4 that talks about the challenge of jealousy and of competition because striving fueled by envy and rivalry creates dissatisfaction and tension. And in verse 4, the Bible says, again, I consider all travail and every right work that for this is a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. And so the problem of the challenge of jealousy and competition that Solomon observed that this disturbed his spirit was the problem of envy and rivalry. The desire to succeed is often driven by jealousy, cruel competition, antagonism, or war. And so we try to keep up with the neighbors. We try to have more than the neighbors, to have bigger and better things, to outdo one another, to impress one another, to be admired by others, to slander, to injure those who had more than we do. God did not appoint people to work for these purposes because I'm glad envy is one of the works of the flesh. And so, that's what happened with Joseph's brothers. That's what happened with King Saul. That's what happened with Ahab and Jezebel in the Bible. Every one of these, amen. That's what happened to the prodigal son's brother. When we look at all of these things, that the desire to succeed is made meaningless and empty by envy. Envy robs a person of the satisfaction and the true purpose behind the achievement. And the desire to accomplish and achieve is admirable, and ambition can be a good thing. But when envy is at the root of a person's ambition to work hard to achieve more and succeed, it taunts all their accomplishments. Because envy, greed, jealousy, and resentment cancel out all of the virtue and all of the meaning that God intends people to find in their labor. Jealousy is a powerful, formidable creature, and it can quickly wreak havoc in our lives and relationships, and jealousy has destroyed countless marriages, friendships, families, businesses, and even churches. How? can we as believers conquer or avoid this powerful temptation by doing all things for the glory of God and not self. Number two, by being content with what God gives us. Number three, by being filled with the Holy Spirit. Number four, by loving our neighbors as ourselves. Number five, by rejoicing in the blessings of others. And number six, by staying humble before the Lord. And number seven, by esteeming others better than ourselves. And so we see the challenge of injustice in verses 1, 2, and 3. Verse 4, the challenge of jealousy and competition. But the third of the six issues that trouble the human spirit is number five, the challenge of laziness, neglecting responsibility that brings harm. Because idleness and refusing to work leads to personal and social ruin. What does it say in verse 5? He says, And so, Solomon moves from the problem of working out working out of envy to the opposite extreme of not working at all. And so, one thing is always true of an individual who accomplishes great deeds and reaches the pinnacle of success, as Solomon did, he or she's not lazy. But this type of person possesses a remarkable work ethic, usually up before dawn and laboring far into the night. The person with no ambition, the slothful spirit, actually troubled Solomon more than the one who was vainly and jealous at all things. And so, the Lord talked about how the ant was one that was wise in her ways and was not a sluggish. And so, when every one of us looks and realize that he's talking about in verse 5 about how that he eats his own flesh or he ruins himself, There's a two-fold picture in this gross image because the literal application is a man actually eating his own flesh. It's a perfect picture of a lazy man that is destroying himself. He's inflicting pain and problems upon him or herself and he or she alone is responsible for their own condition because they won't work. They're lazy. They're always reaching for a handout and they think somebody else ought to pay their way for them when they're lazy and they're slothful. The second thing of this that I see is of a man or woman who refuses to work and they have nothing to eat and therefore their body has to feed off itself. A waste away due to starvation. Slothfulness in the scripture does not, however, describe all of those who do not work. The Bible distinguishes between those who cannot work and those who will not work. And I'm glad that in Acts chapter 20 verse 35 and 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 14, both of those state, I have showed you all things how so laboring ye ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. That's Acts chapter 20 verse 35. But in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 14, the Bible says, now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. You see, the Bible clearly states that those who have the health to work should help support those who, due to circumstances beyond their control, cannot work. But notice what the Bible says to those who can work but are too lazy to do so. In 2 Thessalonians 3, verse 10, For even when we were with you, this we command you, that if any would not work, Neither should he eat. And so, the God of all creation, the God that planned and put everything into place, appointed man to work. And for this reason, the slothful man should not be supported by those who work. Government should not take the wages of those who are industrious and give them to those who are lazy and will not work. God's solution for the problem is this, let him go hungry and he'll get a job. You know, industrious people today, people who get up in the morning and go to work, are just as indignant today toward the problem of slothfulness as Solomon was in his day. It should never be said of a true believer that he or she is lazy. We should be the hardest, most diligent workers on the job. We should be prompt for work, early even, and never late. Nor should we ever stay out of work for no reason. Our employers are expecting us to be there. The ethic of Christ demands that we be dependable and faithful to our duties. We should do our best to accomplish all that we can in return for the wages and the benefits given to us by our employers. Hard work and faithfulness will be rewarded. And if not by our employers, then definitely by the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we ultimately will serve according to Colossians chapter 3, verses 23 and 24. And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ. And so I'm glad that every one of us When we look and we see the fourth problem, the fourth of the six issues that trouble the human spirit. And that is, the fourth issue is this, the challenge of greed and discontent. Because what does it say in verse 6? Better is a handful with quietness than both the hands full which prevail in vexation of spirit. And so, what do we see? The constant craving for more disrupts peace and contentment. And so Solomon observed people obsessed with working to outdo their neighbors. And second, people too lazy to work at all. And he confronts a third category. Listen, people who work zealously because they are greedy and because they're covetous. They can never get enough. Solomon He talked about the individual who has enough in one hand to satisfy his family's needs lives in peace. But the person who works to have both hands full and is still not satisfied is full of turmoil and restlessness. And so the wise live in peace. They enjoy their labor and the fruit of it, amen. But the covenants have no peace and they chase wind. Solomon says the covenants is a vexation of spirit or chasing after the wind. Those who are never content, who must always have more and more and are pursuing something that cannot be caught, and they're feeding on air and will never be satisfied. And it's sad to see those ones that are like that. Those who cannot be content with the necessities of life, pay an enormous price for all the things they pursue. Consider the high cost of covetousness, how seeking after the possessions and the pleasures of this world affects so many people's marriages, their children, their health, their good name and reputation, opportunities to enjoy the simple life and its blessings, peace of mind to not mention a few, chances to hear the gospel and to gain eternal life, and rewards at the judgment seat of Christ. But the price of having both hands full is not worth the cost unless a person can balance work with other obligations and needs in life. And so, they have a restful spirit. The life of the believer is about more than just things, the pleasures and the possessions of this world. Jesus said in Luke chapter 12, verse 15, and he said unto them, Take heed and beware of covenants, for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. Jesus went on to say in Matthew 6, verse 32, that those whose focus is solely on the things of this world live like the heathen and those who do not know the Lord. You see, good stewardship is about more than just obediently, cheerfully, and faithfully giving our finances to the Lord. We are to be stewards of everything given to us by God. Listen to me. Our time, our talents, and our abilities, and our blessings. And when we're covenants are obsessed with gaining more and more of what the world has to offer, we become poor stewards of what God has entrusted to us, which is of far greater value because we sacrifice the things in life that are eternal importance for the things that pass away. Tragically, though, one day we're going to answer for our covetous hearts at the judgment seat of Christ. We see the fifth thing. out of the six issues that trouble the human spirit. And that is the challenge of isolation. And it goes all the way down from verse 7 to verse 12. I'm not going to read it for the sake of time. But living without companionship or meaningful relationships results in emptiness, is what it's going to say. And Solomon, out of the true meaning and fulfillment in doing so, identified the problem of loneliness. Likely, as he looked at describing a man whom he actually saw and perhaps knew. And the observations of the king about the man and the issues of his loneliness was, in verse 7, the empty and the frustrated feelings of a lonely person. In verse 8, the causes of that loneliness, that the man was evidently all alone, he had no relationships, the man had no children or siblings, and possibly no wife, and the man was a slave to his work, and the man was never content, never satisfied, and he never had enough, and yet his labor was in vain. He had no hair to leave his possessions to, and he had given up all pleasure to work so hard that he had deprived himself for nothing. And then in verse 8, the result of that loneliness, a sense of dissatisfaction, that they were clearly discouraged a man. And in verses 9 through 12, the benefits of companionship, that two are better than one. The one, the love others offer, the companionship others give, the emotional needs others meet, the meaning others bring to our lives, and the joy others provide us, the satisfaction that we receive from being a companion to others, supporting and befriending them. You see, two of them could work and gain more together according to verse 9. But I'm glad in verse 10, two of them could reach out and help each other when one of them failed. In verse 11, two of them could provide warmth for each other. Two could lie down together. In verse 12, two of them could better defend themselves together because in the ancient world, traveling was a risky, dangerous activity. And when Jesus taught the parable about the Good Samaritan, he drew on the example, witnessing that day that a traveler who had been attacked by thieves and the person who traveled alone was vulnerable to those attacks. But the mugger would think twice before jumping someone traveling with a companion. And verse 12, two of them could do even more with a third companion. A rope made of one strand is easily cut or broken, but when three one-strand ropes are braided together, the result is a rope that can pull hundreds of times its weight. And I'm glad that the loneliness is pervaded in the lives of many who do not choose it. The man whom Solomon observed was alone by his own choice and result of his own selfishness and greed. Maybe it might be the circumstance of widows or widowers, single adults, divorced adults, orphans or abandoned children, shunned or outcast in society, newcomers to the community or school, those whose families have moved away, those with no siblings, people in nursing homes and care centers, people who are introverted or shy, people who are homeless, diseased, disabled, mentally handicapped, in prison or oppressed, and the list goes on. But the point is very obvious. We as believers must reach out to those who are alone. We should invite them to lunch, dinner, into our homes and restaurants, holidays and family celebrations. Invite them to church and social functions and support groups, aid man. And so, it brings us to our sixth issue that troubles the human spirit. Let me go through them all. First of all, the challenge of injustice in verses 1, 2, and 3. The challenge of jealousy and competition in verse 4. The challenge of laziness, neglect, and responsibility brings harm in verse 5. In verse 6, the challenge of greed and... content. In verses 7 through 12, the challenge of isolation, of being lonely. But then in verses 13 through 16, the challenge of fleeting popularity and authority. Here is the recognition and influence to prove to be temporary and unfulfilled in some time. And that is the problem of elusive fame and power. Because we see a wise youth takes the throne of an old and foolish king. The wise youth had been born in poverty and held as a prisoner in verse 14. The youth had been popular and strongly supported by the people in verse 15. In verse 16, the young king ruled over millions, but his popularity lasted only briefly. You see, every one of us, who are the two kings in Solomon's story? It seems unlikely that this is a hypothetical situation. But we can speculate that Solomon was referring to Joseph or to his father, David. Others see characters in the story rather than two. Solomon again said, I saw in verse 15. Solomon might have been describing the fate of the monarchs in a neighboring nation of his day. Or it could be that he was speaking of his own situation. Solomon himself was the old and foolish king who refused to heed God's warning. And so, We look and we realize that out of all the stories that's told here in Ecclesiastes chapter 4, it is better to be a poor but wise young man than a rich and foolish old king who does not listen to God and must reap the harvest of his foolishness. People today, power is fleeting and popularity is fading. Everything changes. Nothing lasts forever. Those who elevated this young man to the throne loved and followed him. But in time, though, they passed off the scene and a new generation emerged and a generation that despised him. No person can please everyone. And he who wears the crown carries a heavy burden. And so in verse 16, the conclusion, fame and power are meaningless, not fully satisfying, lasting, or enduring. Solomon, the most powerful popular ruler of his day, declared that fame and power were empty and of no real value. And all of the advantages of great position, popularity, were meaningless and temporary. And so, every human being has to some degree the need to be respected and liked by others. And some, this is mild, whereas others, they need more pronounced. But whether you're both young or old alike, who feel the need to be seen or accepted by other people, and for those who find their identity and their popularity are in what others think of them, their priorities and goals often become twisted because of their objective that becomes to be looked up to, to be famous, to hold position, power over others. But as believers, We should not find our identity in how others see us, nor in the level of recognition, fame, or popularity. Our identity should be found in our value to God and in who we are in Christ. And in spite of our failures and sin, God loves us, He values us, He gave us His only Son to die for us, and this is what really truly matters. This is what makes us as sons and daughters of God today special. And sadly, those who seek their value and position and status, they'll never be satisfied. They will always do whatever is necessary to be liked, to be included in the clique, in the number, and to be accepted. And in so doing, they will fail to please the Lord. And the only one who really matters, listen to me, the one who loved them, the one that gave his own life for their sins, is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And so, I'm glad that when we look and realize that out of the six issues that trouble the human spirit. we realize the reality of oppression. The oppressed have no comforter, power without justice, and the universality of suffering. Amen. Not only the reality of oppression of these six issues that trouble the human spirit, but God sees our tears. And while the writer of Ecclesiastes observes the suffering and assures us that God is not indifferent to our pain, God records our misery in Psalms 56.8. record my misery, list my tears on your scroll, are they not in your record? Because God keeps a divine record of every sorrow we endure, showing His intimate care. And God not only records our misery, God as a refuge for the oppressed. As Psalms 9-9 says, the Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a strangehold in times of trouble. And so, not only the reality of oppression and that God sees our tears as Jesus, the man of sorrow. Jesus' own tears, such as Lazarus at the tomb, where Jesus wept, reminds us that God not only sees, but also feels our pain. When you feel unseen in your suffering, remember that God sees and understands. Bring your pain to Jesus in prayer. That's what I've been doing lately, as I am experiencing the great heavy loss of my best friend that passed away. And just like my mother and my family members passed away, it'll never be the same. But we've got to be stronger, and the only way that we can do that is bring that pain to Jesus Christ. And so the reality of oppression, And God secondly sees our tears, but thirdly and closing, called to be comforters because God cares for us and inspires us to care for others in their suffering. We see the power of presence. Simply acknowledging someone's pain can be a profound act of love. And in Romans chapter 12 verse 15, the Bible says, Rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep. And I'm glad that not only the power of presence when we're called to be comforters, but we listen with compassion. True listening without judgment or rushing to solution reflects God's heart. You may not have the answer. All you need to do is just listen to their pain, their grief, and their sorrow. You know, David Asperger said one time, being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable, unquote. And so we offer hope in Christ, pointing others to Jesus as the ultimate refuge and healer that gives eternal hope. In Matthew 11, verse 28, he says, what? Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Some people don't ask the Lord to come and to help them. Who in your life is suffering and in need of comfort? And how can you be a source of God's love to them this coming week? You know, every one of us, when we look and realize Paul Harvey once told the story of a young soldier who, after returning from war, found in a letter from home, in the letter his mother had written, she said, I pray for you every day. And it's a simple, powerful story, amen, that how a person can feel comforted, not by grand gestures, but by the knowledge that someone is remembering them and praying for them in their hardship. God remembers our tears like the mother who prays for her child, and each tear is a silent plea that He hears. In today's society, where people can feel unseen and forgotten, Psalms 56.8 reminds us that God sees every tear. He remembers our pain, our fears, and our struggles. And for those who feel overlooked or insignificant, know that God is recording your tears, and He's near to those who suffer. And if God cares for our tears, How can we do less for those who are hurting around us? As we see, Ecclesiastes chapter 4 reminds us of the harsh realities of life under the sun. But Scripture also assures us that God sees every tear and cares deeply for the oppressed. And as followers of Christ, we are called to be His hands and feet, offering comfort, presence, and hope to a hurting world. The story of the Good Samaritan. and how the Samaritan, despite his differences with the wounded man, understood what it meant to be a refuge. God calls us to be like that Samaritan, offering refuge to those in trouble, especially when it's hard, amen. And so the famous quote from Paul Harvey that he says, and now you know the rest of the story. often reveals unexpected endings and a deeper meaning. But in the story of Lazarus, we see Jesus' unexpected reaction. He wept. And Jesus knew that he was going to raise Lazarus, yet he wept because of the pain and the grief that death causes. His tears remind even us that even the Son of God experienced sorrow and empathy. And Jesus weeps with us today in our suffering. His tears are not just a sign of sadness, but a deep compassionate understanding of human suffering. And so as I get ready to close out. In today's world, people often try to avoid vulnerability. But John 11.35, Jesus reveals that Jesus wasn't afraid to show his emotions. And he entered into the grief of others and showed tears are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of deep compassion. And today many people in our society feel alone in their struggles, but Jesus weeps with us all. And He's not a distant God that remains unaffected by our pain, but a Savior who enters into our suffering. And so, I'm glad when we are overwhelmed, by the challenges of life. We can take comfort in knowing that Jesus understands our pain. In every tear, in every moment of sorrow, God offers us hope. And Ecclesiastes chapter 4 reminds us that the oppressed suffer and have no comfort, but we're called to be those comforters. And Psalms 56.8 assures us that God remembers every tear that we shed. Psalms 9.9 tells us that the Lord is our refuge. And Jesus in John 11.35 weeps with us in our sorrow. In a world filled with suffering, we're called to be agents of hope. and we're to be God's hands and feet, offering refuge to the oppressed, remembering the tears of the brokenhearted, weeping with those who weep. And in our moments of sorrow, we can take comfort that God in Christ Jesus is not distant from our pain, but is a present help in the times of trouble. Let us go. And knowing that God sees, God remembers, and God weeps with us. And in His weeping, He brings us the hope of resurrection, hope amid the tears. Lord, thank You for the hope that we have in You, even in our darkest moments. And we know that You are a refuge for the oppressed, that You remember every tear we shed, that You walk alongside us in our suffering. Help us to be Your comforters in a hurting world, and may Your compassion flow through us that we trust in your hope even amid our tears. In Jesus's marvelous mighty name, amen.