Anabelle Gillham’s passage on suffering:

There is One who knows our suffering. His understanding is unfathomable.

“Who else but God has gathered the winds in His fist, who else but God has wrapped the waters in His garment. . . ?” (Proverbs 30:4)

“When He speaks in the thunder, the heavens roar with rain. He causes the clouds to rise over the earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from His storehouses.” (Jeremiah 10:13)

“And behold, the Veil of the Temple was torn into two from top to bottom and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split.” (Mathhew 27:51)

“And darkness fell over all the land. . . “ (Matthew 27:45)

“His agonized cries of grief shattered the silence of Heaven. . . the people said that it thundered. . . 

He opened His fist and hurled the wind on the frightened earth. He called forth the lightning, illuminating the horror of the scene before Him. The waters trapped in His garment surged forth to drench the bloody hill. He paced the floors of Heaven and flung His arms upwards in agony. . . the people said it was an earthquake. . . 

He shut his eyes, He couldn’t endure the pain and buried His face in His fists. . . the people said that darkness covered the land. . . 

With anguished sobs, He grabbed His robe at the neck and ripped it from top to bottom. . . the Veil in the Holy of Holies was torn. . . 

Wait, be still! Listen. . . words are coming from the blood-caked, parched lips of The One on The Cross. . . Father, please forgive them, for they know not what they do.

He stood quietly then with bowed head, spent, tears streaking His cheeks. He watched as they carried away the body of His Boy. . . It wasn’t easy for God that day, the day He cried, seeing His beloved Son crucified.”

We are J-Bar — we are blessed beyond measure. We love — we are thankful beyond measure. We serve, and in so doing become the leaders that God wants us to be.