Good Grief. God Grief.

I had lunch yesterday with a young man today who is hurting. You could see it in his eyes and hear it in what he didn’t say. Two days ago, he lost a buddy who died in his sleep, just 28 years young.

My friend lost his job. Dismissed with little more than a small severance, after years of loyal service, he lost his dignity, along with his paycheck.

And then there’s a writer buddy who has is facing end-of-life issues — with both parents.

The woman who called the house last night, h

er finances in a rubble. She may lose her apartment.

A man at work who was left by a spouse, a life now in shambles.

My mother has pain that just won’t go away. She lost her husband of 63 years and now her own body has been robbed by time. She hurts.

I personally have lost and the daily agony is real. I think they are hurting, too.

Look at the news surrounding Japan and there is so much loss, it’s numbing.

One by one, I go through the roll call of my friends, family and coworkers. And there’s a common thread of loss and grief. And if they aren’t saying, they’re hiding.

If you have had loss. If you are grieving. You are not alone. Just look around.

Today at church, the preacher read the words of Jeremiah 8 and it hit me. God grieves too.

See the sense of loss in His words.

“Why then have these people turned away?”
“When people fall down, do they not get up?”
“When someone turns away, do they not return?”
“None of them repent of their wickedness”
“Each pursues their own course”
“Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn”

This reminds me of all the prodigal sons are out there, breaking their daddy’s hearts. Even as we grieve for what have lost, so God grieves for what he Has lost. The relationship with His own creation.

He understands. God grieves. We are not alone.

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