The Eclectic Evangelical-Arlene Bridges Samuels : Forgetting the Man of Sorrows?

Our lives here on earth can become minefields of sorrow and challenge. When they surprise and arise, do we remember that Jesus is the Man of Sorrows? Do we call on Him for help? Will He understand our situation? What does it mean when scripture says Jesus was “a man of sorrows acquainted with grief?” Isaiah 53:3
Our incarnational Jesus, fully God and fully man, endures as the unparalleled representative of this remarkable duality. Since he was God Incarnate, all His infinite power was at his disposal. Yet, He clothed Himself in the form of a human- an “earth suit”-subjecting Himself to our earthly experiences. Some of us suffer sorrows in big doses; others to a lesser degree yet all of us- and throughout history- encounter grief, problems, and an array of challenges.

How did our Lord address His human life? Walking the land of His earthly Jewish family, what can we learn from Him when problems landed on His path?
First, Jesus had every reason to retaliate against injustice but He consulted His Father in Heaven and chose another way; lessons we must learn in our Christian walk when we face the tangled, tight knot of life’s problems. It's easy for us to defend ourselves or respond badly but Isaiah 53:7 tells us that when oppressed, Jesus purposely bore affliction demonstrating the supreme example of navigating life’s challenges and pain.
When Jesus ascended back to His heavenly throne, He promised, then sent His Holy Spirit as our Counselor and Comforter. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 reminds us how the Man of Sorrows- and we- can receive help in times of trouble: “ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”
Jesus drew from this same Spirit to endure His crucifixion. He’s given us access through His sacrificial death on the tree and His resurrection to bless us with new life for the asking.
When we are a “person of sorrows,” let’s remember to call on the Man of Sorrows who understands, who bears our burdens and comforts us with His Holy Spirit He left behind.
The cross is empty. Our Man of Sorrows is also the King of Glory. Thanks be to God!

A Tapestry of Churches

A splendid tapestry of churches has ripened my faith with fruit from many good trees; as a missionary with Mercy Ships in a crew I describe as a "Christian United Nations," and also living in Switzerland and Romania-plus moving around the United States.

Growing up, my Southern Baptist church laid my foundation built with singing the great hymns of the church, where to locate books of the Bible, and scripture memory. Through my youth group, I encountered the Lord in a personal way on July 31, 1963.

Presbyterians fed me at a buffet of Protestant theologians especially my favorite one, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and emphasized God’s sovereignty.

In The Episcopal Church, I waded into two different streams, one liturgical and the other charismatic. In the liturgical "high" Episcopal church, I feasted at the Eucharist each week and navigated the ups and downs of kneeling. In the charismatic Episcopal church, I connected more deeply with the Holy Spirit, finding freedom to raise my hands in joyful worship. As a member of a black church on then-small Hilton Head Island, the pastor and choir fed me with vibrant songs and eloquent sermons.

Living in Switzerland, we enjoyed worshipping with other ex-pats in the Church of Scotland. During our eight years with Mercy Ships, the world's largest private Christian hospital ship, we sailed the seas with a crew from 35 nations-among them South Sea Islanders who introduced us to their lovely, worshipful dances. On the mission field living in Romania, my senses delighted in the Romanian Orthodox Church replete with incense and gilded, intricate altars.

In a non-denominational church with contemporary music, I engaged with believers from varied church backgrounds and joined a small group. At the Church of God, I worshipped in a Pentecostal setting in a distinctly pro-Israel denomination that displayed the American and Israeli flags. Belongling to a small Anglican church I relished liturgy, weekly Eucharist, missions outreach to Rwanda, and acoustic guitars.

Transferring from small Anglican to big Baptist, I have reconnected with my chidlhood biblical roots where I feast on hymns sung by an outstanding choir and orchestra, an excellent Sunday School class, bible-focused sermons, and a prolific domestic and international missions focus. Last but not least, the Jewish community and expert Hebraic roots teachers have opened a door of deeper understanding that Judaism nurtured Christianity in an ancient cradle rich with commandments, festivals, wisdom, poetry, patriarchs, prophets, and Older and New Testaments. Significantly, learning more about Jewish culture and Christianity's Jewish roots has deepened a richer relationship with my Savior, a Jewish Rabbi. I've received an extraordinary gift as a non-Jew grafted into the branches of the ancient Jewish tree connecting me to Israel, my spiritual homeland. .

I invite you to walk with me through a lifetime of adventures reflecting a tapestry of faith that I hope will encourage you in your journey to discover extraordinary beauty and limitless fulfillment of our Christian faith.

In Him we hope, Arlene

Forgetting the Man of Sorrows?

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