Read:
Isaiah 53:5
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Jesus knows our struggles. “He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering.” He knows exactly what we are going through today, what we experienced in the past, and everything we will experience in the future. He walks with us through the dark and miserable times as well as the beautiful times. Jesus holds us in his hands with love and empathy; but he does not stop there. He died an agonizing death to set us free from the horrible consequences of sin, to cleanse us, heal us, and make us whole. He bore all of our pain, distress and sin on the cross.
Why is it so important that we be clean and holy? Because we cannot have fellowship with him without being completely righteous. He is pure and holy, and we must be holy and pure to enjoy friendship with him. Our wrongdoings separate us from the Lord. Isaiah 59:2 explains that our sins have separated us from God. Yet Jesus is our righteousness if we believe and ask him into our lives. 2Corinthians 5:21 tells us, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
It is amazing! Our Lord longed to have fellowship with us. He desired to pour his love and life into us and be with us forever. He wanted to have an intimate relationship with us so much, that he was tortured on the cross to set us free from sin. Isaiah 53 describes Jesus as being pierced, crushed, wounded, oppressed, afflicted, stricken, and a guilt offering for all mankind. He did all this so we can be in his presence. He took upon himself all of our infirmities and sorrows, so we can experience his amazing love and healing.
We can feel unworthy and undeserving during times of anxiety, depression, physical limitations and chronic pain. Traumatic experiences, such as child abuse and domestic violence, often cause us to feel dirty and ashamed. Yet God thought us worthwhile enough to give his life for us, and to live in us with all his righteousness and healing power.
Are you hurting today? Do you feel unworthy of love, or ashamed of who you are or have become? Let Jesus come inside, wash you white as snow, and heal you. Let him fill you with his love. Sometimes he heals us quickly, sometimes healing comes as a journey, and occasionally it comes through endurance and long perseverance. Yet no matter how the healing comes, Jesus walks with us and fills us with his strength and comfort each step of the way. He draws close to us, smiling upon us in love, yet always feeling our suffering.
Comment by Keith Edwards:
I want to encourage you today to take the words from Sandy seriously and remember, God loves you so much. I also want to encourage you today to let the Holy Spirit touch you and heal you completely. There is no problem to big God can not solve it. There is no mountain too tall God cannot move it. There is no storm cloud to rough God cannot calm it. There is no "heartache" too deep God cannot heal it. Friend, if He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulder, I know that He can carry you today.
prayer:
Lord, we lay our problems and concerns at the altar today. Heal us Lord of anything that is causing us to go backwards instead of forwards with you. We accept your agape love today, and we accept our pardon in Jesus name we pray, amen.
by Sandy Groom and Keith Edwards
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