Email devotion for 12/15

For thus says the Lord: Your hurt is incurable, your wound is grievous. For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal. Jeremiah 30:12, 17  

By his wounds you have been healed. I Peter 2:24  

In this season of Advent, as we prepare for the birth of our Savior, we see around us a world that is desperately in need of saving. Many are grieving the loss of a family member or friend. Perhaps the loss of a job. Many are in need of stable housing, and knowing they will be getting enough food for their family. Then, this past week, there were the devastating tornadoes that went through Kentucky and nearby states. Entire towns nearly flattened; large businesses destroyed. People trapped for hours in the destroyed buildings. Dozens dead and injured. A church in Mayfield KY was nearly destroyed, leaving their Communion table standing alone. These sound like very grievous wounds.   

Yet amidst all thus destruction there are many signs of hope. Rescuers were there to dig through the rubble and get people to safety. At one nursing home patients were wheeled into the hall and workers shielded them with their own bodies. Plans for rebuilding, for getting shelter and food for those who need it.   

This is much like what Jeremiah describes in several verses(actually in much of the book of Jeremiah) about how miserable the condition of Israel is. Then he tells of How God will heal the wounds. These grievous wounds that come from the people not following God. Even though Jeremiah says they brought it on themselves, God; says that He will heal their wounds and will restore their health.  

We too can be and have been healed by God. This doesn’t necessarily mean a healing from physical illness although it can be:  a cure for cancer, or infections or physical trauma. Rather, it is more of a spiritual healing. A healing where the people can again be in a relationship with the God that brought them out of Egypt and has made covenants with them. A God who makes and keeps His promises. He especially kept the promise of sending a Savior to us. As I Peter tells us, Jesus was wounded for us, for things that we did and continue to do. His wounds have healed us. His sacrifice and resurrection lead to our salvation.     

Great Physician and Healer, only you can heal the incurable. Only you can restore health in body and mind and soul. We thank you that you can take away our grief and make our brokenness whole. Lord, we bring our brokenness to you – our hurts, our pain , our confusion. We trust that you can care for all of it. Help us to live in hope and expectation of your healing and renewal. . In Jesus’ name, Amen