THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS by T. R. Williamson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 2, 1901

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 27.

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THE SYMPATHY OF JESUS.

By T. R. Williamson

T. R. WILLIAMSON.

(Oakland, Cal.)

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35.

“God is love, I know, I feel, Jesus weeps and loves me still.”

—Wesley.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” Heb. 13:8.

Does the old hymn speak the truth? I know that Jesus loves me; but does His deep interest in me move Him even to tears? I was brought up to believe that there can be no sadness, no grief, no weeping, in the glorious heaven of heavens, where God lives, and where the angels of mercy and love look upon his fatherly face with joy unspeakable.

In such a presence can Jesus be filled with so deep an interest in my case that He should even now shed tears? There are millions of happy worlds, unfallen, where the blight of death or wasting disease has never come, where all the inhabitants do God’s will, and enjoy His ceaseless favor. The angels are messengers and visitants to those sinless spheres, and the light and cheer carried by them from heaven is reflected from the faces of those who rejoice in all that is good and pure and true.

And love from those worlds flows in ceaseless streams of majesty and sweetness to the Lord Jesus Christ. The people of unfallen worlds love Jesus, and their affection makes Him happy. And can it be, with the love of the universe of righteous and orderly orbs to gladden His kingly soul, Jesus even weeps for such as I? Ah, to ask such a question with a doubt as to the answer is to liken Jesus’ love to our weak human preferences for one another. “He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye.” The apple of the eye is sensitive, extremely so. To touch the apple of the eye is to inflict pain. But can God feel pain?—Yes, indeed; or He could not feel for me. That interest which cannot feel the pain of another, sharply, keenly, is not love; it is merely selfishness, and God cannot be selfish. He is all love, and Jesus is named Michael—one who is like God.

“The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” If this be true, that all creation, all the innumerable worlds that spangle the heavens like the lustrous gems of glory,—they are a part of creation,—if they all are in pain, groaning with it, until the warfare caused by sin is over, then we may be sure that God and Jesus and heaven are in entire sympathy and accord with all the created works of God.

“In all their affliction He was afflicted.” Affliction, sorrow, and perplexity falling upon God’s children awaken responsive thrills of agony even in the bosom of God. The universe feels together. Holy angels weep, so the Testimonies assure us. Jesus wept, and His nature never changes. His love is as tender now as when He groaned in spirit at the home of His dead friend in Bethany.

O distressed Christian! Jesus feels your distress, and sympathizes with you. God the Father feels your hurt as keenly as one feels a rude finger when it strikes his unguarded eye. Holy angels weep in love and pity for you, and your groans of sorrow spread through the universe like ripples circling away from a plunging stone. Oh, we have friends! Love calls for us, and longs for our welfare, and yearns and waits for our companionship, in every world, from the central heaven, even to the most distant star.