
"Cry out to Jesus" has special meaning to me for two reasons. What the song is titled is exactly what we should do each and every day. But, when life is beating us down ... people are failing us as they will do ... when we have disappointed others as we do ... when we witness so much injustice before our very eyes ... when we mourn the loss of a loved one or someone we hold dear ... when life simply beats us down and becomes too much, we should cry out to Jesus. Where else do you turn for hope and peace ... better yet, where else can you turn?
Philippians 4:7 says, " ... and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." I can remember the first time I truly felt His peace surround me. I have shared this before, but I feel led to share it again.
I was a very young Christian having lived most of my life, up until this point, outside of God's design for my life. I was a young mother, single and raising a son. He was probably a little over a year old. Life was difficult at times ... very difficult ... but I was happy. The gift of my precious son and my newfound relationship with Christ was very exciting. It was enough to help me focus on the positive in life instead of on the negative, which is what I was accustomed to doing. However, there was still one area in my life which remained troublesome for me but I was walking in faith, praying daily and casting my cares, relying on Him to fix things so my world would be good ... or at least better.
This particular area of my life came crashing down around me one afternoon, and I could physically feel the life being sucked out of me. I was crying so hard I could barely catch my breath. I was so disillusioned and in so much pain. About this time a family member telephoned me. They were in Richmond at the time and I was about an hour away. When they heard my voice, they knew immediately something was terribly wrong. They wanted to turn around right there and then to come to me. I was adamant I did not want to see anyone. This was how I escaped prior to coming to Christ ... I ran from everything and everyone, hiding in seclusion. I always thought it was a sign of weakness to show others this side of me, and now was no different.
When I would not relent and allow this person to come to me, they offered to pray. When they suggested praying for me, I could feel the anger rising within me. I was so mad at God because I felt He had failed me. The one area of my life ... the one area which I felt was critical in making my life complete ... He allowed to slip away. What was the sense in praying? What was the sense in casting my cares? What was the sense in hoping and walking in faith? I would only be setting myself up for more pain and disappointment. These were the thoughts running through my head. My response to them wishing to pray with me over the phone was, "Do not dare ask me to pray. Where was God when this happened?" It was the end to our conversation.
At this point, I simply hit the floor on all fours and cried out to Jesus. When I did, at that precise moment, I heard the audible voice of God. He simply said, "It is not over!" Right there and then ... I mean the exact second He stopped speaking to me, I could physically feel this strange feeling washing over me. It started at one point of my body and worked its way to the other end. As it was overtaking me, I could feel this sense of relief ... this peace I could not understand ... this lifting of weight off of me. I remember raising my head and getting off the floor. I had tears streaming down my face, and I said out loud, "Great, now I am hearing things!" Then I commenced to laughing. I knew that I knew God heard my cry and I, in turn, heard Him speak to me. Philippians 4:7 took on a whole new meaning for me. It was a day which will be embedded in my heart forever and I turn to it often to see me through the daily trials of this life, which we know are many.
It has been over 16 years ago since this occurred. I have never heard the audible voice of the Lord since that day. I do not know why He choose to literally speak to me on this given day, but I have my thoughts on the matter. I think ... and this is only my thoughts and nothing spiritual ... He knew I was going to be forever lost if something truly spiritual did not occur on this day. I was so young in my walk, and I knew no better. I did not have the foundation I needed to keep my house on solid rock through the storm. Matthew 7:24-27 states, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." When my storm came, my house did not stand on His Word and I was unable to walk in faith. In my feeble mind, it was going to be a great fall. I did not know any better. Because of my mindset, I think He audibly spoke to me. It was a drastic measure but it was what I needed to continue on His path.
I am sure some of you reading this, if not most, have had far more traumatic times in your life than what I have shared. You may be asking yourself why God has not taken such measures with you to bring you peace during your storm. I have no answer for that, but I can only hope it is because you are so much more grounded in your walk with Him than I was so He used this time to strengthen you ... to enhance your faith ... to draw you closer to Him. My storm definitely did all of those things and more. I know you have heard it said many times ... and you are probably tired of hearing it ... but truly give credence to the advice that storms only make us stronger. They give us the strength we need for the storms ahead, and in this world today, the storms ahead are many. Cry out to Jesus!
"Cry Out To Jesus"
(by Third Day)
To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
When you said goodbye
And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus
For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on
They lost all of their faith in love
They've done all they can to make it right again
Still it's not enough
For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you're not alone in your shame
And your suffering
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus
When you're lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
To the widow who suffers from being alone
Wiping the tears from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus
The second reason this song means so much to me is because of the faith of another I witnessed through this song. I had never really listened to the words when I heard it play on the radio, but on this given day it took on a whole new meaning. My boss had lost his 19-month-old child in a drowning. Once people had settled during the service, this song began to play. It was as if everyone in the room disappeared and it was only myself and the piano player. I was so drawn to the words. When it was over, I simply cried. I looked at my boss and his wife with awe. I was simply speechless and perplexed. How could this young couple lose the only child they had and yet walk in faith as this? To look at them, you would expect to see two individuals falling apart. I saw the opposite. I saw two people standing strong in faith ... allowing God to carry them ... being a witness to the world of His strength during difficult times ... showing everyone His peace in what has to be the most heart wrenching thing a person could possible endure in life. They "cried out to Jesus" and He was physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually carrying them. Their pain was no less than what you would imagine it to be. Their loss was beyond human comprehension, but He was in control and they were allowing Him to be. Cry out to Jesus today! He will meet you wherever you are!