Jesus Heals the Brokenhearted

It is amazing how good or bad memories can be triggered by our experiences.  After our boys were grown I held an infant and was surprised how it suddenly took me back in time to when I used to carry them.  Feeling that little life snuggled in my arms, it was like the whole world stopped and I rushed back to a happy place with fond memories.  The smell of bacon being cooked in McDonald's produces a fleeting feeling of anxiety because of the stress I endured day after day at my first job.  Double-cheeseburgers were on the menu that month and during that initial season I cooked up plenty of bacon.  My experiences haven't ruined bacon or double-cheeseburgers for me, and for that I am grateful. :)

The reality is, everyone who is living will have positive and negative experiences.  We will experience grief, loss, sorrow and regret; we will also rejoice in happy news, unexpected blessings, fun and friends.  I have discovered the happiness of the good cannot negate the bad:  having a perspective focused on the goodness of God and His love and grace towards all enables us to patiently endure.  More than words can express I am grateful for the God who heals hearts, redeems lives and saves souls of those who trust in Him.  It is not the hope of a better life or the trappings of success which lift us from depression and fear but the living hope available in Jesus Christ we receive by grace.

In many respects I have led a sheltered life.  I grew up in a family where God's love was present and His grace experienced.  Where a lot of my childhood memories are good, I am aware the memories others have might be predominately painful.  When we have a pain in our leg or foot we limp as we attempt to avoid placing pressure on what hurts, and it is natural to avoid speaking about what has hurt us in the past.  Some hurts never heal on their own.  I heard a story yesterday of a boy who was dearly loved by his dying grandmother.  She promised to give him a special ring as his inheritance to remember her.  After she passed he asked his parents to give him the ring as she intended.  His parents were unmoved:  she was buried with the ring on her finger.  She had died, but her mourning grandson had to live with his parent's decision that deeply wounded him.

Friends, these sorts of wounds do not simply heal over time.  When our hearts have been broken like the shell of an egg it will never be the same--though we use much glue.  Sometimes the damage done in this life can be permanent; physical loss can be catastrophic and total.  Yet there is hope for all people, because there is hope of an abundant life now and a life beyond this world through faith in Jesus Christ.  Isaiah 61:1-3 records words Jesus applied to Himself:   "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; ² to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, ³ to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

To those bound in sin and guilt, to the brokenhearted and sorrowing Jesus came to comfort and console.  Those who trust in Christ find freedom from crippling anxiety, anger and grief over our childhood, and strength to overcome depression.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, we receive beauty in exchange for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.  Our whole outlook can change for the better because we have been transformed by the power of God through the Gospel.  Because we have a Saviour and glorious present and future we can recall the past without continuing to be crushed by it.  With eyes of faith we can even begin to see God's hand present in our past to protect, provide and preserve us until now.  Praise God He is a redeemer, healer and Restorer of broken hearts.  In this broken world, in Jesus alone we have a living hope.

Blessing God Today

God has blessed and blesses people in countless ways, and those who are in Christ have had our eyes opened to see and appreciate many of them.  Our lives and all we enjoy are gifts from God, and even trials and pain He allows serve His redemptive purposes for our good.  As I read the Bible last week, it occurred to me how prevalent it is to appeal to peace, joy, contentment and rest as reasons to seek and trust God while these are actually some results from faith in Him.  Could it be people are introduced to Jesus Christ as a source of blessing before they even comprehend they are sinners who need a Saviour?

Imagine an orphaned little boy living in a group home without a father or mother.  Without parents, this child intensely feels a lack in their life and dreams of one day filling it with a dad and mum.  This child may desire a parent like a girl wishes for a cute puppy.  She wants the companionship of a pet and the fun of playing together.  Never having had a dog she doesn't realise a pet requires a lot of expense, hard work and personal sacrifice:  the dog will need to be groomed, fed, cleaned up after and trained.  The orphaned little fellow imagines being tucked into bed by parents will make him feel secure, safe and loved.  Having parents is much more than feeling comfortable at night:  it is being adopted into a new family, growing into a new identity, learning obedience and what it means to honour father and mother.  Being tucked into bed with prayer and a kiss is a tiny part of what being a child of parents mean, and by no means the most important.

I believe God's desire is to be known and loved by people for who He is as revealed in the Bible, and He is a Saviour and LORD of all.  Isaiah 45:22 reads, "Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other."  There is no greater blessing than being born again by faith in Jesus and being adopted into His family.  We may come to Him as little children who only want to be tucked in at night and be loved, yet over time we begin to appreciate so much more about Him.  We come to realise we could never be worthy to be so loved and we actually deserved eternal punishment for our sins.  All along, regardless of the depth of our understanding, God continues to love and nurture us.  He feeds us faithfully and guides us into all truth.  He spends quality time with us and seeks us out.  When there is a task to accomplish God helps us and works through us to accomplish His will.  What peace, rest and joy is ours as we experience His presence all by God's grace.

The little boy who simply dreamed of being tucked in at night into his own bed never considered his dad and mum would then leave his room to go to their own room.  But God doesn't do that:  the Holy Spirit dwells within us continually as we abide in Christ.  We never need be apart from the LORD who will never leave or forsake us.  The result of faith in Jesus Christ in my life is greater than the reasons I sought Him, and only later I learned He sought me first.  Any longing for Him was preceded by His dying for me so we could live together forever.  Having been so blessed by God, His people ought to bless Him today.

Jesus our Refuge

Jesus died for the sins of the world, there is an important condition every individual must meet to receive the benefit of His atoning work.  We understand well the necessity of our own actions to obtain a college scholarship, apply for a home loan or collect unemployment payments.  Just because a benefit is offered freely we are still responsible to act.  God does not require us to fill out forms or make a deposit.  God has put it in writing He will save all who place their faith in Jesus Christ, and gives us the down payment of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.  With the heart we believe, and with our mouths we confess our sinfulness and Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour.

After the children of Israel settled in Canaan, God established several "cities of refuge" where a manslayer could flee and seek refuge from the avenger of blood.  Before he was granted entrance to the city, the man guilty of manslaughter needed to publicly confess how he had killed someone without any malice or hatred, how the death was accidental.  Once his case was heard by the elders and judged by the people as innocent of murder, he would be given a safe place to reside.  Those who were unwilling to trek to the city of refuge or openly confess the circumstances of the death they were responsible for, the protection of the city of refuge was of no effect.  Proverbs 28:13 reads, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."  The arrangement of the city of refuge well illustrates this principle.  There was protection under the law available to those who freely admitted they had accidentally killed another person and placed themselves under the scrutiny and judgment of others for their deliverance from the avenger of blood.

If we will receive the forgiveness and salvation made available to the world by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we must freely admit our sin and ask to be forgiven.  God is loving to provide a way of deliverance for us through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, and we must meet His conditions to enter into it ourselves.  These conditions are not according to the Law of Moses etched into stone, but a new way through the Gospel and the shed blood of Jesus.  The resurrection of Jesus reveals His power over sin and the consequences of death and eternal separation from God.  The one who ran to the city of refuge to save his life had much still to lose, and the one who runs to Jesus Christ in faith has all gain:  forgiveness, acceptance into the family of God, an eternal home in heaven and an abundant life today.

We can only see our need for mercy after the realisation we are guilty, condemned and no way to justify ourselves.  The only way we can receive mercy is by going to the God who is ever merciful and gives to those who ask.  Faith takes God at His word and comes to Him boldly to find help and grace in time of need.  Jesus came to seek and save all sinners, not just to prolong the lives of manslayers.  The mercy shown to manslayers and the cities of refuge shows God seeks to save lives, not destroy them.  Praise the LORD for His goodness and the Gospel, for Jesus is our refuge.

Enter In and Receive

God has provided the scriptures so we might learn of Him, to walk in His ways and grow.  The Bible is much more than an accurate account of history but provides examples for us to observe wisely and heed ourselves.  Paul explained how the past experiences of others are useful for us to take to heart today in Romans 15:4:  "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."  God recorded the failings of His people so we might begin to comprehend His faithfulness and place our hope in God whose love is revealed by longsuffering patience.  The Bible details how God was true to His word and fulfilled promises He made to undeserving people by His grace.  People were fickle and forgetful, yet God remained good and faithful.

I was recently struck by what happened after God established the children of Israel in Canaan.  After the kings of nations were overthrown in Canaan, Joshua 18:1-3 reads, "Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them. ² But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance. ³ Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: "How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?"  God had delivered the children of Israel from Egypt and sustained them in the wilderness for 40 years.  He brought them into the promised land and miraculously subdued their enemies before them.  One might assume each tribe and family would be keen to take possession of the inheritance God promised to give them, yet 7 of the 12 tribes were content to camp at Shiloh around the tabernacle as they had during their lengthy pilgrimage.

The crazy thing is they had not even seen nor mapped out the area God would give them by lot.  Joshua continued in Joshua 18:4:  "Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me."  The tribes did as Joshua commanded in Joshua 18:9:  "So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh."  People love free stuff, and this especially applies to free real estate.  Taking possession of the land would involve time-consuming effort and ongoing maintenance.  I expect the reluctance of the people to take possession of the land had much to do with their preference for comfort, familiarity, the close proximity to the tabernacle and the presence of God, and uncertainty and unknowns of what the future held.  A new level of personal responsibility would be required when they moved away from the national campsite and to their own plot on their own.  And there were still enemies and wild beasts in the land, potential threats to safety and family.  Perhaps it was just easier and simpler to keep things as they were:  at least they were no longer enslaved or trudging through wilderness.

Joshua, however, would not stand idly by and watch the children of God continue to congregate around the tabernacle in Shiloh when they had an inheritance from God to take possession of--an inheritance they had never even seen!  The children of Israel in this passage provide an example that applies well to the Christian life.  The Hebrews were content to be free of bondage in Egypt and to have the land conveniently subdued before them.  Many believers are well pleased to be born again, forgiven of sin, to receive the promise of eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ--and are content to stop right there.  God had an inheritance for the Hebrews to enter into, plots of God's land provided by lot they were to work and cultivate, provide for their families and the service of the tabernacle.  Their daily lives and routines were to radically change because of new boundaries and horizons.  For Christians, God also has a place for us in the body of Christ were we are called to serve Him and one another in love.  God has given us the Holy Spirit who fills, comforts, teaches, and empowers us to do God's will.  I believe there are many things God has promised His born again children we also have yet to possess.  Like the Hebrews who had not even walked through or mapped the land God promised to give them, I suggest a great number of Christians have never perused or carefully examined the scriptures concerning the promises God has already given them to enter into today.

God has divine wisdom and spiritual gifts for believers in Christ to operate in now for the glory of His name and to edify the Body of Jesus Christ, the church.  Do you know what these gifts are?  In the epistle to the Galatians Paul contrasted the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit.  You might be savvy to know varieties of fruit, plants and even their Latin names:  but would you recognise the fruit of the Spirit when you see it?  Are works of the flesh being culled and the fruit of the Spirit cultivated in your life today?  In His teaching Jesus gave His followers many commandments to follow and the New Testament is packed with "one another" commands which guide believers in how to love our brothers and sisters in Christ:  are you aware of these?  Have you mapped them out through experience?  Unlike the children of Israel who huddled by the tabernacle where the presence of God dwelt, under the new covenant in Christ's blood the Holy Spirit fills and accompanies us wherever He sends us as the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Some of the believers in the early church did not understand the implications of this, and it is entirely possible we do not either.

Brothers and sisters, let us not neglect to enter into the inheritance God has supplied us today by His grace.  It is true God has promised to provide us a home in the heavens with Him where righteousness dwells, yet today is the day to enter into the Gate of Righteousness by faith and obedience.  For all followers of Jesus Christ He has an abundant life to experience today.  There are enemies, obstacles, opposition, and hard work required, yet nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Let not comfort or convenience hinder us from pressing on into the inheritance God has given us in Him, taking steps of faith in obedience to His word.  Let us refuse to shirk our responsibility to enter in, though we must climb a mountain, cut down a forest or displace fortified giants.  Caleb did so because the LORD helped Him, and God will help us--even we of little faith whose doubts are great.