https://odb.org/MY/2023/05/07/hunt-for-inner-healing
Everyone goes through traumatic moments, whether in our childhood or even as adults. There are bound to be times we faced dramatic situations at home, in school or college, or even at work. We could have witnessed our parents’ quarrels or seen a road accident, or we ourselves could have been mugged, molested or harassed or we could have experienced bouts of bullying and racism.
In my youth, I had seen before with my very own eyes an arrested person attempting to flee from a police van only to give up when the policeman discharged a revolver into the air as a warning shot. Some memories are vague, and some are as clear as daylight. I guess the more traumatic ones are embedded in our memory. These experiences and memories sometimes resurfaced in dreams when we sleep or are recalled as we witness or read or watch something similar. The more traumatic ones may becone recurring nightmares. One thing is certain, these past experiences shape our personalities and even outlook in life and may make or break some of us. For example, we could become more reserved, withdrawn, or introverted due to a failed relationship or rejection. Or spiritually, we have become too cautious when we should step up in faith more often.
Isaiah, as a book, is sometimes referred to as the fifth Gospel as it is essentially a message from God of warnings to Israel to keep the faith and the destruction that comes with disobedience in the first half, with the other half on the restoration of Israel. The book, however, is intertwined with the promise of the Messiah and how He is key to the restoration of Israel. Thus, if we look at ourselves as adopted children of Israel through Christ, a lot of what God speaks of Israel in Isaiah may apply to us as spiritual Israel. Isaiah is prophetic as it speaks of the future, and Jesus came and fulfilled His Messianic role. In fact, Isaiah is probably the most quoted of Old Testament Scripture in the New Testament, having been quoted 62 times. Isaiah is thus a favourite book of preachers, especially those who like to operate in the prophetic realm.
Isaiah 61:1-3 speaks of the one who will restore the broken-hearted and proclaim liberty to the captives. The opening of the prison to those who are bound and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. To give them beauty for ashes. The oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for heaviness.
If our past trauma has held us captive and bound us from fulfilling our purposes in God and shaped us to be fearful of walking in faith in Christ, Christ is there to heal the broken-hearted and set the captives free. Look to Christ, the Messiah, to break us free from our past that is holding us back in God. We need to break free from the shackles of our past and move forward to the glory of God. Allow God to heal us, to restore all that the locusts had eaten. All that we could have been in Christ, we could now be in Him. Allow Him to do a thorough inner healing within our soul, that God may shape and mould us in His fashion into that sculpture of beauty that is worthy of His crown of glory. It will take time, but this needs to start today, now.
Have a blessed Sunday, everyone, basking in the glory of His presence as we worship Him this morning! Hallelujah, for the LORD, our God reigns!
Ronnie's Thoughts 