Violence
can break a person, a relationship, personal belongings, etc. Something whole
is handicapped now…maybe glued together, but never the same again.
Sometimes
the fracture is undetectable, but it is there nonetheless - influencing every
day of our life, leaving us damaged, cracked, fragmented and wounded.
Fear,
confusion, insecurity and brokenness leave us vulnerable, crushed, strained and
fractured. Ravaged by the choice made by someone else, our life is less than perfect.
We often injure others because we are no longer whole.
Jesus
paid the price to help us to mend from these injuries and flaws. He allowed the
Roman soldiers to spill His blood, so we can be healed in body, soul and spirit
(1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Jesus
heals the brokenhearted by the anointing of God's Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18). Troubles
and trials may press in on us from every side, but Jesus breaks the yokes which
bind us to them.
If
we trust in and rely on Him alone, He does not allow life to crush us (Isaiah
42:3; Matthew 12:20). He encourages us when we are disheartened to keep us from
being driven to despair (Psalms 34:18). He never leaves us or forsakes us
(Hebrews 13:5).
This
persecution reveals the character of Christ in us, as we share in suffering in
this life similar to His (2 Corinthians 4:7-12). Our anguish here on earth
cannot even compare to the unspeakable glory and joy that God will reveal in us
and to us through the power of Christ’s resurrection.
Prayer:
Father
God, You comfort all who mourn (Matthew 5:4). You require from us a spirit,
which is humbly broken and contrite (Psalm 51:17). If we fall upon Christ by
faith, we may be crushed; but never broken, because He will save us (Matthew
21:44).
Conversely,
those who reject Your Son Jesus actually expose themselves to danger, ultimate
ruin and eternal destruction (Luke 20:18; John 3:16-18; Romans 11:19; John 15:5).
You will not allow the crushed stem to be completely broken or their feeble
light to be put out entirely (Matthew 12:20).
Thought
for the Day:
A
bruised and broken life is full of mercy and compassion for others, and God
uses us as a conduit of His love to those who suffered what we have suffered.
