Tags
1 Corinthians 10:12-13, Broken Hearts, Comfort, Confidence, Hebrews 4:15-16, Isaiah 61:1-3, Jesus The Healer, John 3:14-18, Luke 4:17-21, Matthew 12:1-2, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 34:18, Psalm 37:3-8, Revelation 3:20, SIN
Bible Ballistics: Vol. 13 No. 21 A Broken Heart???
Ever have a broken heart? Most of us have had a broken heart at one time or another, and while it’s not something that we seek after, it is something that God understands. And I don’t know about you, but I am eternally grateful for God’s love, care, and provision for those who experience a broken heart—in fact, for all!
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of man
be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him
should not perish,
but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son
into the world
to condemn the world;
but that the world
through him
might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him
is not condemned:
but he that believeth not
is condemned already,
because he hath not believed
in the name
of the only begotten
Son of God.” John 3:14-18
God gave His all—His Best—Himself–that we might have life, abundant life in His Son, Jesus. I can’t imagine the heartache that God felt as His Son hung on that cross for ‘my’ sin and ‘yours’! And no matter what has caused your heart to break, God understands what you feel, He cares for the brokenhearted.
“The LORD is nigh unto them
that are of a broken heart;
and saveth such
as be of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous:
but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Psalm 34:18
And while God has promised us deliverance, his deliverance doesn’t always look like we think it will. While God’s promises are “yes and amen”, His timing may be different than ours, but His work is ever secure and sure in His love, care and goodness.
“Wherefore let him
that thinketh he standeth
take heed
lest he fall.
13 There hath no temptation taken you
but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted
above that ye are able;
but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
Paul reminds us, as he shares God’s message with us, that we are all subject to temptation in this human condition, and because of sin (original sin that came on all of Adam’s descendants, and personal sin that we all find ourselves in) we are subject to its insidious grip—but we don’t have to succumb! God has provided through the sacrifice of Jesus, a way of escape—when we ‘fix our eyes’ on Jesus. God wants to draw near to us when we are hurting—He knows and feels our pain.
“For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted
like as we are,
yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help
in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16
Jesus tread the paths of human frailty and accomplished the victory for us—and because He did—we can trust Him with our heartaches, our sorrows, our grief, our confusion, our emotions! Jesus cares and He has provided because He walked the same paths that we walk; He felt what we feel; He loved a world which for the most part didn’t love Him, and broke His heart—in fact they put Him to death—we put Him to death– because of our sin. But unlike us, Jesus knew what He came to do, He knew that He was born to die for me and you; He knew that it would cost Him the cross, and because He paid that price, He saves us and makes those who will come to Him a part of HIS family, and invites us into His throne room to find a Father’s love and provision. What are you in need of today? Is your heart broken? God loves you and is waiting for you to give it to Him!
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD
is upon me;
because the LORD
hath anointed me
to preach good tidings
unto the meek;
he hath sent me
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty
to the captives,
and the opening of the prison
to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year
of the LORD,
and the day of vengeance
of our God;
to comfort
all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,
to give unto them beauty
for ashes,
the oil of joy
for mourning,
the garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness;
that they might be called
trees of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD,
that he might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3
We can be “the planting of the LORD” because He gave “His only begotten Son” to be the payment for our sin. And even as Isaiah wrote hundreds of years before Jesus arrived, He was the plan for our redemption, and confirmed this in His public ministry.
“And there was delivered unto him
the book of the prophet Esaias.
And when he had opened the book,
he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me
to preach the gospel to the poor;
he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives,
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book,
and he gave it again to the minister,
and sat down.
And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue
were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them,
This day is this scripture
fulfilled in your ears.” Luke 4:17-21
Just like those in the synagogue that day, many today hear the Word of The Lord, and yet don’t perceive or hear what God is saying unto them; Jesus proclaimed to them that “HE” was the fulfillment of the promise of God recorded by Isaiah the prophet. Yet on this occasion and others, the people took offense rather than believe, and people do the same thing today. Yet God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Spirit, accomplished the work of redemption at Calvary! Oh, praise His name—you and I don’t have to stay broken! Do you need healing? Do you need mending? Do you need a Savior? Jesus is standing at the door of your heart knocking—calling—loving you! You can choose HIM and His love or suffer on your own.
“Behold,
I stand at the door,
and knock:
if any man hear my voice,
and open the door,
I will come in to him,
and will sup with him,
and he with me.” Revelation 3:20
Jesus is ever working to draw us near to Him that we might truly experience that “abundant life” He supplies! We just have to keep our eyes on Him and run the race (even the ones that bring heartache and anguish) trusting to HIS care, not our own wisdom. We have the complete testament of scripture to fill our hearts with examples of assurance and hope!
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about
with so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset us,
and let us run with patience
the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus
the author
and finisher
of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him
endured the cross,
despising the shame,
and is set down
at the right hand
of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
Jesus gave His all for us. We can not only find peace, love and joy in Him, but we can trust HIM for our heartache, to clear the confusion we experience, and to overcome the challenges that life may bring.
“Trust in the LORD
with all thine heart;
and lean not
unto thine ownunderstanding.
6 In all thy ways
acknowledge him,
and he
shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
How? By simply pursuing Jesus, His Word and resting in HIS care—He truly is a heart healer! I know—He has healed my heart more than once. He has restored me when I got angry because His answers didn’t match my demands! He has lifted me up when I didn’t have the strength to go on! He has even given me grace to do things that were (and often still are) difficult. And I simply close with one of the passages that strengthens and renews my heart again and again. He has soothed my heart when it has been broken by the very ones that I love the most! He will do the same for you, if you will but “give it to Jesus”!
“Trust in the LORD,
and do good;
so shalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD;
and he shall give thee
the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD;
trust also in him;
and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness
as the light,
and thy judgment
as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD,
and wait patiently for him:
fret not thyself because of him
who prospereth in his way,
because of the man
who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger,
and forsake wrath:
fret not thyself
in any wise
to do evil.” Psalm 37:3-8
May you find HIS healing! There truly is a ‘balm in Gilead’ (see Jeremiah 8:22 & 46:11). Blessings on your week!
Amen and Amen!!!