Mid-Week Message - Wrinkled Hearts

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

Let's face it.  Life can be really difficult.  From the time of conception an endless number of things can go wrong.  Sometimes I wonder how any of us ever grow up.  No matter how many safeguards are put in place, we still can be hurt or injured.  Illness comes.  Relationships dissolve.  Jobs are taken away.  Finances fail.  The sunshine and rain both fall on each life no matter whether we are good or evil.  We just have to do the best we can with what we have.  And thank the Lord above, if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we have Him to call upon. 

We each have a story.  Mine includes bullying, molestation, child abuse, rejection, and ridicule, to name just a few of the heartaches.  I have also lost both parents, been through the severe illness of my spouse and witnessed my only child grieving over the loss of her best friend at a time in her life when that just shouldn't be happening yet.  You have a story too.  Yours may very well include tragedies that I can't even conceive of.  Maybe infertility, abandonment, terminal illnesses or the loss of a child.  Whatever you have been through has broken your heart in ways that are indescribable, just as mine has been broken.  

Through the years that I was privileged to work in private schools, I had several opportunities to talk to the students about how easily hearts can be permanently damaged.  I would use a pristine piece of paper.  No folds, marks or wrinkles.  Then as I would mention different hurts that could take place, I would crease the paper until finally we had talked about so many that the paper was almost in pieces.  No matter how we tried to smooth it back out, the evidence of the folds and tears remained.  That represented the memories of the painful times.  Memories that may never be erased.

But I have great news!  Scripture assures us that our Father in Heaven is well aware of everything we go through, whether happy or painful.  Not only are we promised that He will make something good out of them but we are soothed by the sureness of His power to heal our broken hearts and bind up our wounds.  He can take our damaged hearts and make them new again.  We may still have the memories, but by His grace and mercy, we can feel joy once again.  

I pray that your week will be spent in His arms.  Whatever you have gone through in the past, or will go through in the future, His love is greater.  As we heal together, I ask Him to bless you and hold us all close.