Ethan & Elysia Larson Family

Since watching a documentary on Joni Eareckson Tada on Day of Discovery by RBC Ministries, I have been captivated by the hymn, Man of Sorrows.  Mrs. Tada is a Christian who became paralyzed from the neck down after a diving accident in the Chesapeake Bay while only a teenager.  She has spent her life ministering to people who suffer, especially those with disabilities.  She has many talents including singing, drawing with her mouth, speaking, and writing books.  Mrs. Tada told a story about how a friend helped her while she was suffering by singing this hymn.

One night my high school friend Jackie, with whom I shared boyfriends, milkshakes, and hockey sticks, came into the hospital late one night, like 2 in the morning, past visiting hours. The nurses were on break. No one was in the hallway. She crept up the steps of the hospital, snuck in the back way, came into my six-bed ward. I was with five other spinal-cord-injured girls who were all asleep. My friend came sneaking into the room, crawling on her hands and knees. She came over to my bed, stood up slowly, and lowered the guard rail of the hospital bed. Just like high schoolers will do on pajama sleepovers, she climbed into bed next to me, snuggled real close, and softly began to sing: “Man of sorrows, what a name. For the Son of God who came, ruined sinners to reclaim. Hallelujah, what a Savior.” ~Joni Eareckson Tada, World Magazine interview by Marvin Olasky, Jan. 12, 2013

Last year I taught the Sunday School kids this hymn that they sang for Easter Sunday. It tells us the story of Jesus Christ who died and rose again to save us from the penalty for our sins through faith in Him.  Here are the words:

Man of Sorrows

words by Philip P. Bliss, 1875

Man of sorrows what a name
for the Son of God, who came
ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
in my place condemned he stood,
sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Guilty, helpless, lost were we;
blameless Lamb of God was he,
sacrificed to set us free:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!

He was lifted up to die;
"It is finished" was his cry;
now in heaven exalted high:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!

A thick fog rolled into this monastery in Romania freezing solid the flowers.

For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:19-21

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,But the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:19

Every believer in Jesus will attest to the fact that they suffer afflictions.  If our Lord did not escape suffering in this world, then we will experience it as well. Our Lord has compassion.  His loving, sovereign hand directs our lives, and Christ is magnified in His chosen ones. That means He radiates His image through my life and death.  He is lifted up, He is exalted.  He shines through my life and death.  You wonder, how can Christ be magnified when I am severely depressed or so afflicted with suffering in my body or my children suffer so much or my empty womb cries out for children or I am humiliated by unemployment or I am dying?  

Christ will deliver you through the hope that is an anchor for your soul.  "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entered the Presence behind the veil" Heb.6:19 
Christ will deliver you when He speaks truth to your broken heart through His word.  "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word." Ps.119:114 
Christ will deliver you when His power goes out of Him to heal you for His glory. "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." John 11:4
Christ will deliver you when He brings you home to be with Him where He is seated in Heaven.  "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God….When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." Col.3:1,4
Christ will deliver you in Glory when your suffering will produce an eternal weight of glory. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Cor.4:17-18
Christ will deliver you in your suffering while He is furthering His glorious Gospel. "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ." Phil.1:12-13
Come to Jesus. He will give you rest in your afflictions. Christ will be magnified in you. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

1. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
   “Come unto Me and rest;
   Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
   Thy head upon My breast.”
   I came to Jesus as I was,
   Weary and worn and sad;
   I found in Him a resting place,
   And He has made me glad.
2. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
   “Behold, I freely give
   The living water; thirsty one,
   Stoop down, and drink, and live.”
   I came to Jesus, and I drank
   Of that life-giving stream;
   My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
   And now I live in Him.
3. I heard the voice of Jesus say,
   “I am this dark world’s Light;
   Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
   And all thy day be bright.”
   I looked to Jesus, and I found
   In Him my Star, my Sun;
   And in that light of life I’ll walk,
   Till trav’ling days are done.
4. -Horatius Bonar, 1846
5.