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We are not all the same and even if we were nearly identical at one point in time, we change at different rates and differences are apparent. This can be more pronounced if one of the objects compared is damaged.
This is what happened to humanity when Lucifer brought temptation and ultimately damage to God’s creatures, mankind. A damaged object cannot perform to the level it could when whole, so damage is tragic. Some damage, it seems, just cannot be fixed. We cannot be used as efficiently by The Holy Spirit as long as we remain “damaged”.
The Good News is that God has a plan for us, i.e. to make us whole. So if God has a plan, why does he need me? It is because we are important parts in the plan to bring others into wholeness. In the passage above, the full meaning of the “Good News” is revealed. If we only present part of it, i.e. salvation, as excellent as that might be, it is only part of the story.
Jesus quoted from this passage in Isaiah when He read in the temple and said “This day is this fulfilled…” He was saying that the “Good news” impacted some things in our everyday life, not just eternal life. There is now hope for captives, downtrodden, captives, all the marginables in our world, for Jesus has come to give them deliverance. I believe that this work is passed along to us in The Great Commission, i.e. to do Christ’s work after He is gone. In this way, we truly bear one another’s burdens.
So how can we help heal the damaged?
Some were born damaged– It’s a fact that some are born less than equally endowed, be it intelligence, physical attributes, mental acuity, etc. For too long, the advantaged have lorded it over the less fortunate and used it as a weapon to keep their advantaged perch over others. Jesus says that we should give them beauty for ashes, lift them up, carry their heavy load. In this way, we make their burden lighter and bring hope to their world.
Some were damaged by others– It is a sad fact that violence has a large part in our world. Man’s inhumanity to man is a common theme in our daily living. These are really tragic souls, because they remember what it was like to not be damaged. They can be tormented by what might have been! But Jesus says, never mind, I have come to restore those captive to evil deeds and deliverance is at hand. Then He appoints us to bear their burden for them, as He bore that great burden of sin for us. He gives us strength through the Holy Spirit to accomplish this, because without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). It also stands to reason that if we are damaging others, we need to stop! In those cases, we are fighting against God, who is their mighty savior.
Some choose to be damaged or damaged themselves– There are many ways we can inflict damage on ourselves, usually unintentionally. But does that mean God will not forgive our sinful acts and heal us? Does the notion of self-inflicted damage mean that we are excused from helping bear the burden ? I think not, but these are the people that Jesus came to deliver: downtrodden, hopeless, mourners, those with heavy spirits, all sorts of dysfunctional people, born that way, made that way by self or others, it makes no difference. Jesus has “Good News” for you. And it does not start and stop with a promise of a better life in the hereafter. It is contemporary…and you can have it now.
We have not always done a good job of seeking out the marginal and giving them a helping hand. We must do a better job of loving one another and caring for one another. We have all been selfish.
We all need to seek God when we feel damaged or dysfunctional. Furthermore, let us not judge one another, but rather help one another with their burdens. “Do this unto the least of these.” The abundance of our God assures that there will be enough for everyone, so we need not fret about giving to others.
My Prayer for you today is:
God, help me to be more aware of the needs of others and to be attentive to them. Thank you for doing the same for us, now help us to be faithful to others and to your will. Amen!
Congrats – just awarded you the “Very Inspiring Blogger Award”! Have fun, and keep writing! God’s Favor and Peace, Diana
thank you! I’ll deal with it in a couple days. Please pray for my wife and me. We caught a strain of the flu that was not covered by flu shot. We are very sick right now. Thank you for nominating me.
Dear Lord, we release Your healing in Daryl and his wife’s body. Flu, get out, in Jesus Name!
Thank you for your prayers. I am feeling better today and Joyce was on the road to recovery last night, so prayer really works!
Thank you also for the award…How does it work, i.e., how do I respond? I do not know how to get it onto my page, etc. Please help.
Sure Daryl, I am glad you and your wife are better.
First, write a regular blog post accepting the award. In that post link back to me and the people you nominate. Usually people do this by embedding the link, using that sideways number 8 looking thing after highlighting the Blog Name you are referring to.
Then you have two choices to keep the award on your page:
1. Do an Image Widget and display it in your sidebar. Here are directions for that;
http://en.support.wordpress.com/widgets/image-widget/
or
2. Create a New Page for Blog Awards. Then put the image on the page, and link the image to either your page accepting the award or my page giving you the award.
have fun, and let me know if you have any more questions!
God bless,
Diana
Thank you, Lord and thank you, Diana.
This is a wonderful message–thank you, and God bless you and your wife.
Thank you very much.
JUS RE-BLOGGED THIS BEAUTIFUL POST ON ARKOFGOD. I HOPE IT’S OK?! THANK YOU FOR SUCH NOURISHING WORDS. GOD BLESS
God has blessed you with tremendous insight and compassion Daryl. I feel lucky to know you.
Thank you, my good friend.
I have nominated you for the Sunshine award. Please click on the link below for the announcement, then follow the directions to accept. Or you can catch the announcement on my blog.
https://darylgstewart.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=870&action=edit
I would have clicked on “Love It,” if the button was available! Thanks for following Lessons by Heart. It brought me here. Thank you for your message to the damaged. Lord help us avoid doing the enemy’s work! 🙂
\o/
Praise Jesus!
Thank you for your kind words.
Peace be unto you!
This is so beautiful! God bless.
Thank you for your kind words.
-Daryl
Thank you for your kind words.