Psalm 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
Earlier this week, a friend from high school posted this verse. You see, after an incredibly long journey, she and her husband have just adopted little Bella. She's a beautiful two year old from China. Bella was born with a heart defect, and last week she was finally on the way to her long awaited cardiologist appointment here in the states so her situation could be evaluated. I prayed for little Bella then. And I prayed throughout the day, being awestruck by her story and by the verse her new mom posted. It's a simple one, but the imagery is incredible.
Have you ever had a broken heart? Perhaps not literally, like Bella, but broken in spirit? Maybe it's a lost love, or maybe it's a friend who has turned their back on you. Sometimes it's just life's circumstances that break your heart. Things don't go the way you think they should, and you feel like someone has ripped your heart out of your chest. I have had those times, and recently, I might add. Times where I've felt so empty inside because things didn't go the way I thought they should. My master plan was not the Master's Plan.
Maybe that's why I can't get this verse out of my mind. When you were a little kid, can you remember getting hurt and running to your mommy or daddy? What would happen? They would sit there, hug you, love on you, all while dressing your wounds. For me, mommy always could make it better. She would fix it on the inside and out. When I was hurt, she was the first person I ran to.
Is it no wonder that God does the exact same thing, but an infinity better than any mom on the earth? He's the ultimate cardiologist. The verse says He heals the brokenhearted. Mommy just put a band-aid on my problems, but God heals them. And it says God binds up my wounds. When my heart hurts, when emotions are weighing heavy, all I have to do is turn to my God. He will make it all better. He doesn't have to give me a Popsicle or put a temporary fix on it like a band-aid. He heals. He's the Great Physician.
Matthew 5:4 says, "Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted." Just like I had to go to my mommy to receive comfort, I have to go to my Father to receive His comfort. We can't be healed if we don't allow ourselves to mourn. And isn't it just like God to always be there for us? He's there, waiting on me when my heart is broken. He's there, waiting for me to cry on His shoulder. He's there, waiting on me to come to Him to bind my wounds. I have this visual picture of Jesus, holding me while I cry, looking at my heart, and doing surgery. I'm so thankful He heals my broken heart, over and over again.
And Bella, well, God healed her heart, too. Last summer she had emergency surgery while in China. They said she wouldn't have lived without it. Well, the report from the cardiologist was better than anyone anticipated. She will live with the heart defect the rest of her life, but the doctor who did surgery on her in China was aggressive. She'll have to have some valves replaced down the road, but for now, she's a happy two year old with no physical limitations. Yes, God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds! He is the ultimate Cardiologist!
For more on Bella's story, check out my friend Jody McNatt's blog: http://eventhesparrow843.blogspot.com
---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com