“Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good
word maketh it glad.” Proverbs 12:25
Did
you ever feel like the Psalmist in Psalm sixty-nine and verse twenty? “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am
full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, and there was none; and
for comforters, but I found none.” Words of hope and cheer seem to be “as scarce
as hen’s teeth,” as the old saying goes. But notice in this verse in Proverbs
that the situation that gave rise to the heaviness of heart may not change, yet
a mere “good word” is capable of changing that heavy heart to one of joy and
gladness.
Do
you suffer from a heavy heart this day? Are you in need of a “good word” of
cheer? Here are three, straight from the lips of our living Savior.
“Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven
thee” (Matt. 9:2). The man to whom
Jesus spoke these words had come for healing and left with that and Heaven, to boot! If you belong to
God’s Blood-bought band, every sin you have ever committed or will commit has
been forgiven. Nothing can change that. God may chasten us, but He can never
disown us (Jno. 10:27-30). Every other relationship in this life may be
severed, but our abiding, comforting, life-changing relationship with the
eternal God and His Son, Jesus Christ, is signed, sealed, and delivered (Eph.
1:13). It’s irrevocable. I ask you, “Is that not a “good word”?
“For they all saw him, and were troubled.
And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it
is I; be not afraid” (Mk. 6:50). Maybe, like the disciples, you’re in the
midst of a crashing storm today, and it’s all you can see. And that seemingly
distant, sometimes unrecognized, form before you is really the Master of the
Sea; and He calls to you and me, as He called to them, “Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid!” How easy it is to feel we’re in this thing
alone, unable to express our fears and longings to even our dearest loved ones,
while the God of the universe has transcribed these wonderful words of
assurance to His needy, fearful children. Oh, dear saint, is this not a good word!
“These things have I spoken unto you, that
in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of
good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jno. 16:33). Does it not seem as though the world is
closing in upon us with its well-nigh universal immorality, secular bias,
persecution of Christians, and glorification of violence and war? Whatever your
eschatological persuasion may be, I
believe it’s going to get much worse before it gets better. This world system is no friend to God or His
people, and the sooner we recognize this, the sooner we will cease trying to
appease it (1 Jno. 2:16). But we should also recognize that we’re not at the
mercy of this world. We need not succumb to its allure or cower before its
intimidation. Jesus Christ has overcome the world, and so can we. Now, revel in
that good word!
I
don’t know about you, but I’m feeling better already. Not only is our future
secure, but our present is under control. We have the promise of sins forgiven,
a Companion in the wildest storms, and a Conqueror over this sinful world. It’s
the word of a Gentleman with the authorization of Omnipotence. I have sought
this day “to speak a word in season to
him [and her] that is weary” (Isa. 50:4). I pray God has helped me to do
so. May these words of our Lord ring long and loudly in your heart: “Be of good cheer!”
Jesus Christ: The Saints’ Cheer-Leader!
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