The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
Isaiah 61:1-2
One sabbath day, when Jesus was in His hometown of Nazareth, He went to the synagogue and quoted this scripture from Isaiah. When He was finished reading it He proclaimed, “this scripture has come true today before your very eyes” (Luke 4:21). That day in the synagogue Jesus began His ministry. He announced to all that He was the one who would heal us. He was sent to earth, appointed by the Lord, to give freedom to the oppressed, comfort to the brokenhearted, and healing to the sick. That day, in front of His friends and family, His boyhood home, He was not afraid to proclaim His gift and the reason for His life.
When do you go to the doctor? Are you someone who goes for every little problem that arises or are you the type who waits until you are on the verge of death before you decide you will make an appointment and fork up the office co-pay? I am the type who will wait it out. I will keep pushing it off thinking that I will wait to see what tomorrow brings. Tomorrow comes and the next day goes with no change. Unfortunately it is now a weekend or holiday so there I must wait some more and try some home remedies in the hopes of finding relief for what started out as a sniffle and has since turned into more.
The same can go for spiritual brokenness. We often don’t notice that we are sick, and if we do it’s nothing serious. Yes, we might see a little problem in the way we just handled that situation or we probably shouldn’t be participating in this act. But sick enough to make an appointment? Heck no! We think we can wait it out or treat it on our own.
We are confident in ourselves and our ability to change when we want to so we never ask for another opinion. Unfortunately waiting for spiritual brokenness to heal itself won’t work because we can never be broken until we can admit we are broken. A person can’t tell us we are broken nor can someone break for us. Even home remedies won’t last in healing our brokenness.
The high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, the Holy One, says this, “I live in that high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts.
Isaiah 57:!5
Only God can help us break and only Jesus can heal our brokenness. God will help us by speaking to our hearts about our illness but if we aren’t willing to hear Him it does no good. Jesus was sent to heal all brokenness. He was sent to save us from our bondage to sin and despair. He is our hope and our healer. Yes, we have it all! We may have to realize our need to be fixed on our own, but God is with us every step of the way. Jesus is right there lifting us up and granting us healing at every turn. Being broken takes courage and a willingness to change our life......a decision only we can make for ourself. Sometimes tragedy or complete desperation will push us to brokenness but ultimately it is a choice, we can only be made well after we first admit we are ill.
The sacrifice You want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, You will not despise.
Psalm 51:17
Applying the word broken to our life sounds depressing and no fun at all. Who wants to admit they are broken? Who wants to admit they are not all put together, that he or she has flaws? No one wants to be ill or broken but in our spiritual life it it the only way we can be made well. Jesus came to earth to give us eternal life and heal our hearts. He came to prepare us for a relationship with Him and a life spent serving God. He wants to take our ugly and make it beautiful. He has the power to take our sin and use it to glorify God. Through Jesus beauty comes from ashes and the ashes come from our willingness to let go and change our life. The ashes are left over from our sacrifice......we offer God our life and we burn it on the alter. We allow His will to become our own and begin living for Him and not ourself.
To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the Lord has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for His own glory.
Isaiah 61:3
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