Broken Bones

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+30:2&version=NIV1984

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20103:2-3&version=NIV1984

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+147:3&version=NIV1984

A week ago our 5-year-old grandson, Brett, was doing what all boys his age do - pretending he was fighting.  Jumping off a chair while doing a karate-style kick, he landed on his foot awkwardly.  The next day, Easter Sunday, Beth & I noticed him limping as he was searching for Easter Eggs in our backyard.  We asked him what happened and he told us.  On Monday, he went to the doctor to have a check-up for his cold.  The doctor also examined his foot and didn’t see anything wrong with it.

On Thursday I noticed that Brett was still limping.  Late that night I mentioned this to Beth.  It seemed odd to me that 5 days later he still couldn’t walk properly.  I reasoned that if he had hurt a muscle or bruised it, he would have been on the road to recovery by now.  Beth said that he didn’t have any swelling or bruising.  I told her that I still felt that his parents should have it checked.  It could be a hairline fracture.  Well, the next evening I received a picture of Brett on my cell phone.  He is at the doctor’s office getting a cast put on his foot.  It turns out the x-rays reveal that he had 2 breaks in his foot.  I hate to say this but let the record show that I WAS RIGHT!  Although I hate to see Brett having to wear a cast for the next couple weeks, I am glad that it will help his bones to heal properly.  Then he can resume being a normal 5-year-old again.

Once again I see a spiritual application in this.  Like Brett, periodically we all receive injuries in life.  Some are of our own doing.  And some are not.  An illness or a disease.  A divorce or the ending of a friendship.  The loss of a job.  Maybe the loss of a house.  Bankruptcy.  Verbal abuse.  Or physical abuse.  Betrayal.  The death of a loved one.  These injuries result in broken bones.  Not physical, but mental.  Emotional.  Spiritual.  These wounds are real.  They shatter our dreams.  Or our faith and trust in others.  They cause us to hobble through life the best that we can.  Sometimes these injuries even force us to the sidelines for a while.  What we need is treatment.  Healing.  Broken bones that do not receive attention, or which are not set properly, can result in continued problems in the future.  Problems which may not be able to be fixed.  Or which may take a great deal of time and money to repair.  This is where God enters the picture.

In Exodus 15:26, God is presented as ‘Jehovah Rapha’ which means ‘the Lord who heals you.’  What a wonderful thought this is.  Now matter how broken and dysfunctional we are, all we need to do is to come to God.  First of all, He wants to heal us.  Secondly, He has the skill to heal us.  No matter what is ailing us, big or small, God has a solution.  His healing touch can mend our bodies.  Our minds.  Our emotions.  Our spirit.

So if you find yourself wounded, hurting, and barely able to function, what are you waiting for?  Come to God.  Now.  He is Jehovah Rapha.  The Great Physician.  He longs to bind up your wounds.  To nurse you back to health again.  To get you back up on your feet.  So that you can live for Him.  And be a blessing to others.

Lord, I thank you for the many times in my life that I have felt Your healing touch.  Physically.  Emotionally.  Mentally.  Spiritually.  How wonderful these times have been.  Your skill.  Your compassion.  Your love.  They have served to deepen my understanding and love for You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.