Healing the brokenhearted
Isaiah 61:1 NKJV — “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.
Because of sin, we live in a day of brokenheartedness. A brokenhearted person is a person who is grieving, who is sorrowful and who is discouraged.
Brokenhearted People
David was brokenhearted because of his sin with Bathsheba (Psalm 51:17).
Hannah was brokenhearted because she was barren (1 Samuel 1:10).
Lazarus’ sisters were brokenhearted because of his death (John 11).
The disciples were brokenhearted when they realized the Lord was going to die (John 14:1, Luke 24:17).
We have families that are brokenhearted today because of the loss of their loved ones to the pandemic, to cancer, and to accidents.
We have families that feel forsaken by their friends even as David did in Psalm 41.
But the Lord came to heal the brokenhearted
First of all He understands.
Hebrews 4:15 NKJV — For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Second, He wants us to rely on Him.
1 Peter 5:7 NKJV — casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Breaking the Lord’s Heart
The only incurable broken heart is found in the one who rejects Him and ends up in a place of eternal conscious punishment when the solution to their brokenheartedness was readily available. I think it also breaks the Lord’s heart when he offers his salvation, friendship and fellowship to a sinner who in total rebellion rejects Him.
Some of us Have found the Cure
But for those of us who came as broken hearted sinners to the Savior, we can sing:
I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true;
I would tell you how He changed my life completely,
He did something that no other friend could do.
No one ever cared for me like Jesus,
There’s no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me,
O how much He cared for me.
Ev’ry day He comes to me with new assurance,
More and more I understand His words of love;
But I’ll never know just why He came to save me,
Till some day I see His blessed face above.
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of July 25, 2021