A terrifying emptiness. Joni Eareckson Tada who was mere 17 years of age, and with a broken neck due to an accident, was lying in the hospital bed longing for just one thing: “If someone came here!”

The visiting time is over. There is a slim chance. Hark, there is someone’s footsteps drawing near. At this time? Oh, it’s her dear friend and classmate Jack!

She held Joni’s hands close to her and sang a beautiful song:

Man of sorrows, “what a name

For the Son of God who came

Ruined sinners to reclaim!

Hallelujah! What a Saviour

“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” Isaiah 53:3.

It was this song praising the Son of God Jesus, the ‘Man of sorrows, and familiar with pain’, which gave Joni the strength to get over the terrible night. The message that it was Jesus the Word of Life which God the Father gave her which instilled a fresh vigour in her, and not certain words of advice or some comforting words. “Jack, a thousand thanks to you!”

Thirty years went by. A date was set for the union of her school mates.

Joni, rang the organizers and asked: “Is Jack coming?” The response she heard was: ”No, she is in great pains at the searing loss of her son.. She cannot come.” Joni tried to telephone Jack many times, yet shouldn’t contact her.

Joni then posted a letter to her friend: 

  “Dear Jack, My husband Ken and I, greatly desired to meet you in person. Do you know why? I wanted to sing that song holding yours hands, that very song which you sang holding my hands!

Man of sorrows, “what a name

        For the Son of God who came

…

Have you forgotten that? May you receive of the Lord the same peace which I received, when you sang that song for me, thirty years ago.

With Love,

Joni”

A few weeks later Joni met her. Jack's eyes were filled with sorrow due to death her son. Joni could spend some blessed time with her. 

It was Christ Jesus the ‘Man of sorrows and familiar with pain’ and crucified, the only comfort for the physically disabled Joni and for Jack who was broken at heart. 

It is God alone who knows what situation you who is reading this, is going through. Many questions may be arising in your mind. “Why is it like this?”

The only answer is Jesus Christ! Christ, who suffered on the cross, who died and who rose again on the third day!!!

"If you are the one who was been comforted, then may the Lord help you today to sing that song which comforted you, to comfort a needy person, for the glory of God. Amen."

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4