"ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU ... FOR WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING." The union between the Lord and His people is real, close, and vital. Whatever affects them, affects Him. He feels for them. If they are persecuted, He is affected. They never suffer alone. He is always present, and as the parent suffers with the child in sympathy, so the Lord suffers with His people. Their afflictions are many and often deep; they are frequently very painful; but "in all their afflictions. He is afflicted." Believer, ar t thou suffering? In mind? In body? Jesus at the right hand of the Father knows it. He sympathises with thee. Sweet thought! Jesus, at this moment is sympathising with me! He knows my weakness, my fears, my many trials; He presents them all to the Father, and pleads for me that I may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Precious Lord Jesus! May I ever cherish the thought, that You take my part in all my trials and afflictions, and will safely bring me through them all.

For Meditation:
We have not an High Priest above
Unmoved at what we suffer here:
In tend'rest sympathy of love
He shares our pain, our grief, our fear:
Wounded with every wounded soul,
He bleeds for us to make us whole.