We are Healed

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering.”

Sometimes life is just so difficult and so painful.  So full of hurt and suffering.  And in the deepest parts of our hearts, we hurt as we cry out wondering, “Why?”

But did you know that Jesus knew?  He knew how it felt to be despised and he knew how it felt to be rejected.  Isaiah 53 tells us that Jesus was a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering.  And there is nothing that makes you feel a little less alone, than knowing that someone knows just how you feel, right?

“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows”

I Googled, “infirmities.”  Because it’s the quickest and easiest way to find out good, solid definitions these days.  And the simple definition was, “Physical or mental weakness.”  And I thought how incredible it was to know that Jesus not only understood how we felt, He actually took our weaknesses upon himself.  He was the one to carry our sorrows.

Being a mom, when my children are hurting, all I want to do is to take their hurt away.  I want to carry it upon myself.  Because I love them, and because when they hurt, I hurt.

But in reality, I can’t really do this.  So how incredible, to think that Jesus can.  Jesus can lift up any hurt no matter how big or small.  He knows how we feel because He comes along side of us and carries each and every one of our sorrows.

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;  the punishment that brought us peace was upon him”

Tomorrow morning, I will wake up early with our family.  We will drive over to Newport Beach to watch the sunrise and to celebrate Easter.  We will sing familiar Easter songs and hymns, many of them ones that I’ve known since I was little.  And I’ll do my very best not to let them just be words rolling harmoniously off my tongue.  I’ll remember what they stood for and how Jesus died to take the punishment for my sins.  In humility, I will praise God for allowing us to all have a relationship with Him through the death of His only Son.

I’ll remember that because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, all fear is gone.  Because I know He holds the future.  And life is worth the living, just because He lives.

I’ll silently thank him for the peace that his punishment brings me each and every day, no matter what craziness or busyness is going on in my life.

And this year.  Especially, this year.  I’ll thank and praise Jesus because it was by His wounds that we are healed.  We are healed not only in physical ways, but also mental and emotional and spiritual ways.

I’m excited to celebrate Easter tomorrow.  Because of these beautiful truths.

I did not get up to see Michael today.  I tended to some much needed tasks and spent most of the day working hard to accomplish them.  However, Jeremy was able to go and visit.  And through him and a phone call to Sally, I learned that Michael is struggling a bit.  It was just yesterday, that we were thanking God for miraculously fixing Michael’s shunt.  And that is still something that brings such joy to my heart when I think of Michael.

But the reality of the situation, is still that Michael’s traumatic brain injury has come with so many ups and downs.  He seems to be in a bit of a transition stage right now.  The doctors are working to try to decide what medical combinations will help him best.  And this can be very hard for Michael, and also for his family when they see that he is struggling.

But I know that we can keep praying.  And I know that God knows how hard this is.  I pray that He will continue to carry Michael and his family through and that he would continue to bring healing to Michael.

And finally, I just want to wish you all a Happy Easter.  I pray that you would have a wonderful day, celebrating Jesus and His resurrection and that most of all, you would know the great truths and the great power and the great peace that this brings.