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John 11:32-37 (NIV)
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Additional Scripture References: 2 Kings 20:5, Matthew 10:29, Genesis 21:16-17, 1 Samuel 1:10, Psalm 6:6-9, Psalm 56:8, Hebrews 8:12, Psalm 121:3-4, Luke 7, John 16:20, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Revelation 21:4
Understanding and believing the truth of the goodness of God is more powerful than we could ever imagine. God is still good, even if grief is a reality of life. On earth, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to know God as our savior and praise Him in spite of our suffering. God always works His purpose, for His Glory out of the worst circumstances. Jesus, who lost his dear friend, Lazarus, knew this. Being fully God and fully human did not stop him from experiencing grief upon learning Lazarus had died. Jesus not only identified with our sorrow but also modeled how to accept suffering while never losing faith. Although he wept, he firmly believed in God’s ability to make the impossible happen. As he called Lazarus out of the grave, we can see a picture of how God is in control, resurrecting even what appears to be dead.
One of the most powerful things you can do is praise God even while you grieve.
Not one sparrow falls to the ground apart from God’s notice and neither does one of your tears. Scripture tells us that God sees every tear that we cry and hears our hearts cry. In our pain, we can find peace in knowing God is well acquainted with our grief and gives us the grace to get through our suffering.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. Matthew 10:29 (NIV)
Scripture tells us not only does Jesus see our tears, he catches them. We are so loved by our Heavenly Father, not one tear shed goes unnoticed by God. Not only does he empathize with us, He is moved to compassion giving us perfect peace in our crisis.
You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? Psalm 56:8 (ESV)
Our Lord, Jesus Christ understands grief. He doesn’t just see our tears, catch our tears and turn our tears, but he promises to wipe them away! He transforms tears of sorrow into shouts of joy. Believing that God will turn our tears into shouts of joy does not mean that we no longer grieve, but does mean that we cling to him through the pain, and let every calamity crash us into his arms. As we endure crisis, we will stand before our maker in heaven, every tear wiped away for eternity.
This week challenge yourself to open up to God and share what is grieving your heart. Also, find a crew that can help you learn to navigate this grieving season, whether it is a Care Crew, or a regular Crew, God can use other people’s stories to encourage you and bring hope to your future.
All of you that are already in our database will receive a text this upcoming Thursday from our new text platform. It isn’t spam, it’s really us! This will become a primary way for us to resource, equip, and update you. We encourage you to save this number and opt in for more updates.
VOUS High is youth community of VOUS and we are creating a space for middle schoolers to gather for service every Sunday.
Students will start with worship in the main auditorium and then be dismissed to their junior high space. This will be a moment to connect with other students, hear a message, and then discuss in small groups.
For more information and to RSVP your student, click here
Join us at the annual ILMC Thanksgiving Bash to distribute meal kits and turkeys. Also, bring a chair and cheer on your favorite team at our annual VOUS Bowl.
To serve, click here
Date: Saturday, November 23rd
Time: 9:00AM - 12:30PM
Location: Charles Hadley Park
1350 NW 50th St
Miami, FL 33142
Ready to kick off Thanksgiving with a burst of energy and community? Join us bright and early at Peacock Park for the VOUS 10K Turkey Trot! Whether you're a runner, a walker, or somewhere in between, this is a chance to start your day with some fresh air, great friends, and all-around fun! See you at the starting line!
To sign up for the Turkey Trot, click here
Date: Thursday, November 28th
Time: 6:00AM
Location: Peacock Park
2820 McFarlane Rd.
Miami, FL 33133
On Sunday, December 1st we're bringing our annual Tree Lighting tradition to both our SoMi and Miami Gardens Locations! Sign up to serve and join us for a night of fun! Invite your friends and let's welcome the Christmas season together!
Please note: There will not be a 6PM service at VOUS City. Instead, join us at VOUS Miami Gardens for the 6PM service, followed by the tree lighting celebration.
Date: December 1st
Time: 7:30PM
Location:
VOUS Miami Gardens
17801 NW 2nd Ave
Miami, FL 33169
VOUS SoMi
6767 Sunset Dr
South Miami, FL 33143
To serve, click here
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
