God Wounds and Binds Up
“He breaks, but He binds; He wounds, but His hands heal.” (Job 5:18)
By Bro. Paulson Joshua, Kochi
God’s people have always been bruised and wounded; for His desire is to transform them into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. Paul says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” (Romans 8:28,29).
1. Job - To prove that he is a servant of God.
God Himself testified about Job, “There is no man on the earth, like my servant Job, blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.” (Job 1:8).
But all his possessions and his ten children were destroyed by Satan with the permission of God. Again, God allowed Satan to strike Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Even his wife did not come to comfort him in this situation. His close friends came to see him, but they never comforted him only blamed him.
Broken, Job said, “My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished, The grave is ready for me. My days are past, my purposes are broken off, Even the thoughts of my heart.” (Job 17:1,11).
Nevertheless, after proving Job's innocence to Satan, God gave Job double all his losses. In the eternity to come, God will give him a great place to be a king in a glorious body.
2. Elijah - To prove that Jehovah is the only living God.
Prophet Elijah had just defeated the prophets of Baal on the Mount of Carmel. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, telling him that he too would be killed. When he heard that, he got up and ran for his life. (1 Kings 19:1–3).
He forgot all the mighty works of God in the past by the brook Cherith, at Zarephath and Mt. Carmel. Elijah went a day's journey into the desert, sat under a broom tree heartbroken, and prayed, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4).
After performing many miracles to prove that God lives, he was broken down physically and mentally. God graciously dealt with him in his helplessness, provided for him and protected him. (1 Kings 19:5ff).
After proving that he stood before God to all Israel, God used Elijah to anoint the next king of Israel and also Elisha as his successor (1 Kings 19:16). Then the Lord took Elijah to heaven without allowing death (2 Kings 2:1,11).
3. Jesus Christ - To prove God's love and save sinners.
Through the stripes and wounds of Jesus Christ, God saved all the sinners in the world. When His heart was broken, He said, “Reproach has broken my heart, And I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none.” (Psalms 69:20). “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death.” (Matthew 26:38).
As the Lord Jesus Christ experienced all the infirmities of man except sin, He is the only person who can heal the broken-hearted. The wounds in His body and the pain in His heart made Him the perfect Savior.
4. Servants of God whom God wants to use.
Today anyone whom God appoints for unique ministries also goes through such heart-breaking experiences. Those believers who are undergoing such tribulations in their bodies and hearts must look only to our Lord Jesus Christ for help.
“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart.” (Psalm 34:18). “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.” (Psalm 51:17).
A broken heart is like a sacrifice unto God, which we have to experience in our life. If our body is broken as a living sacrifice to God, we benefit from understanding the good acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1,2). If our heart is broken as a sacrifice to God, God will use us to do many new things to glorify our Lord.
Those who undergo this situation of a broken heart must look unto our Lord who has undergone a similar situation. Look unto Him. He is with you to help and promote you for His purpose.
Related topic: BROKENNESS: BASIS FOR BLESSINGS
24/08/2023
