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After the Tears: A Journey in Faith
I vividly remember the day I graduated from high school, about to leave home for university. My grandmother, teary-eyed, pressed some money into my hand and reminded me, “Remember to attend church and fellowship gatherings!” Her warm touch and sincere concern for my faith almost brought me to tears too.
On the path of faith, tears often flow—moved by God’s salvation and grace, repenting from mistakes, struggling through hardships, or rejoicing in God’s actions. No matter the reason, these tears deeply mark our journey, reminding us of God’s justice and love. The Bible, too, records a poignant moment of tears.
Jesus had predicted his arrest and crucifixion, and that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed. Peter, confident in his faith, didn’t believe he could ever deny Jesus. However, when Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priest’s house, Peter became frightened and denied knowing Him three times. When the rooster crowed and Jesus turned to look at him, Peter remembered Jesus’ prophecy and went out to weep bitterly. Peter, who once loved Jesus so fiercely and swore to die with Him, found himself weak and fearful when trouble came, even hurting the Jesus he loved. Yet, when faced with Peter’s denials, Jesus didn’t scold him or cry; he just silently looked at Peter. Jesus had already prayed for Peter, knowing he would deny Him, yet still loved him deeply. He encouraged Peter to strengthen his brethren after turning back. Jesus’ love embraced the fearful, weak Peter and helped his faith grow stronger as he strove to shine for the Lord afterward.
We all have moments of weakness and even hurt our loving Father in these times. But Jesus still loves us because He understands our frailties, heals our wounds, knows our sorrows, and grants us many graces. Indeed, God is always by our side, like a father—watching us get baptized, forgiving our sins, seeing us gather in church, pray, and praise Him, watching us work hard to spread His truth, witnessing us step into blessings of love, watching us cry in repentance, and rejoicing and thanking us.
In moments of tears, God still guides us through the valley of the shadow of death. After we dry our tears, we continue to press forward, aiming for the goal and renewing our faith daily, loving Him wholeheartedly.
Sometimes, we face great distress and sorrow; at other times, we revel in joy and celebration from God’s grace! Our lives may churn like the sea or be stable like mountains, yet, whether in danger or peace, Jesus’ loving hand leads us. Since Jesus guides us daily, we should faithfully follow Him closely.
After tears, let’s not forget God’s mercy and love but regain strength in our faith, embrace His kindness and grace, and keep running towards the heavenly kingdom. When tears come again, remember, Jesus is right by our side. “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
Come and learn more about Him through bible study, sermons and fellowship. We warmly welcome you to our upcoming Fall Evangelical Service and Spiritual Convocation. You can also join us for the Fall ESSC via online streaming. Here’s the ESSC schedule:
Thursday, September 26,2024 6:50PM to 8:10PM
Friday and Saturday, September 27-28, 2024 9:00AM to 8:10PM
Sunday, September 29, 2024 9:00AM to 1:00PM
Complimentary lunch and dinner will be served.
Please find our church location below:
4N550 Church Road
Bensenville, IL 60106
Google Maps
In the meantime, please feel free to join us for our regular Sabbath (Friday evening and Saturday) services online or in-person.
Friday Evening Service: 7:50PM – 9:00PM
Saturday Morning Service: 10:50AM – 12:00Noon
Saturday Afternoon Service: 1:30PM – 2:40PM
Email us at ilovejesus@tjc-chicago.org