Sorrow

David Hears of Absalom’s Death

Ahimaaz wants to run and tell David that the Lord has delivered him from his enemies and he tells Joab (v. 19). Joab tells Ahimaaz it is best not to do it today because the king’s son is dead (v. 20). Soon a man from Ethiopia was standing there and Joab told him, “Go …

Ezra Expressed Sorrow in His Prayer

The rest of the chapter contains Ezra’s prayer. It is in its entirety one of confession of sin, with no petition or request of any kind. Although Ezra was not personally guilty of these sins, he identifies himself with his people in his prayer. He acknowledged that all the horrib …

Judas Hangs Himself

Since Jewish law required trials to be conducted during the day, the chief priests and elders reconvened in the morning to deliver their official verdict against Jesus (v. 1). Because the court lacked the authority to exercise capital punishment, they bound Jesus and brought Him to Governor …

Lamentation for Tyre

Ezekiel’s second message against Tyre was a lament over the city’s fall (vv. 1-4). Tyre’s destruction was so certain (chap. 26) that the funeral dirge could begin. Chapter 27, in which Tyre is compared to a ship, could be called “The Sinking of Tyre’s Ship of State.&qu …

A Prayer For Protection

This is a very important Psalm as parts of it are quoted by Jonah, Jeremiah and Jesus. We cannot be certain when David wrote it or under what circumstances but it seems that he may have been looking back over various periods in his life. David does not hesitate to tell us what hi …

IllustrationQueen Victoria Had No One to Call Her by Her First Name

Queen Victoria was almost entirely dependent on the Prince Consort, Prince Albert. When Albert died very young, Queen Victoria was grief-stricken for many years. All her sorrow was summed up by this phrase: “I have no one to call me Victoria now.” She had plenty of peop …

IllustrationGodly Sorrow Results in Change

Godly sorrow results in a willingness to change. Worldly sorrow results in hanging on to the sin. Worldly sorrow sees the sin as precious, as something you know is wrong yet you find yourself desperately trying to figure out some fool proof way to keep it close to you. Like Balbo …

IllustrationStrength in Time of Loss

Not long after arriving in new Hebrides as a pioneer missionary, John G. Paton and his wife rejoiced in the coming of a baby son to gladden their home. But the joy was short-lived. Soon death took both his wife and child, and Paton had to dig their graves and bury his loved ones …

IllustrationOswald Smith – How People Can Help You in Sorrow

“In times of deep sorrow it is not the people who tell you why you are suffering who are of any use; the people who help you are those who give expression to your state of mind, often they do not speak at all…” (Oswald Chambers). …

IllustrationWhat I Learned From Sorrow

“I walked a mile with pleasure, she chatted all the way but left me none the wiser with all she had to say. I walked with sorrow, and not a word said she, but oh the things I learned from her when sorrow walked with me.” (Adrian Rogers). …