“Abba heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
“Jesus is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18).
Dear Jesus, one of my favorite Motown songs asks an important question: “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?” Even the Bee Gees asked, “How Can You Men a Broken Heart?” I know what I did with mine. I denied I had one, medicated poorly, and kept on moving. I tried to bandage my heart wounds with denial, disconnect, and distancing myself from anything or anyone that threatened more pain. None of those ends well.
I was a false prophet to myself—like those you rebuked in Jeremiah’s day, for “healing the wounds of my people lightly” (Jer. 6:14). And because I wouldn’t make time for my pain, I had little patience, kindness, and presence to offer others in their pain.
Fortunately, the tinker-toy, scotch taped scaffolding of my self-healing collapsed under the weight of your grace. You came near Jesus, and you haven’t left. Thank you. To suffer is to be human; to experience healing for our heart-wounds is to be yours. Not content just to prepare your Bride for heaven, you bring a good measure of heart-healing that we go there.
By your mercy, gentleness, and kindness, each of us is still on the healing journey—a process that has a most wonderful end in view (Rev. 21:1-22:6). Our wounds from loss and betrayals, the fear of more trauma and rejection, and the shame we still bear of not being enough—these all matter to you, Jesus. Hallelujah, “you give the healing and grace our hearts always hunger for,” for you are a most “wonderful, merciful Savior” indeed. So Very Amen.