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Grace takes you to the place where God wants you to be- from brokenness to wholeness that is peace. Pursuing peace is also God’s procedure, that comes with His promise of experiencing good days in your life. It is what the apostle Peter has declared saying, He who would love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit; Let him turn away from evil, to do what is good; let him seek peace and pursue it. [1 Peter 3:10,11]
The GOSPEL of PEACE:
And it is now the time of the year, when it is the gospel, the good news of the birth of the Savior, Lord Jesus Christ, is remembered and celebrated, with thankfulness and great joy. For, as the prophet has written, it is about the people who sat in darkness, having seen a great light, the Light of the world, and to believe in Him, to be set free from the dominion of sin and satan, in slavery and bondage to fear. He came into the world as the Prince of Peace, and in another aspect, through the Cross, He Himself is your peace. Thus the gospel of Christ is in itself, the gospel of peace. It is the good news of Jesus Christ, what He has done through the Cross, what He is doing even now within you, and what He is going to do when He comes again, to take you to be with Him forever.
And, it also has to be added that, the peace that the Bible talks about, is much more than a mere absence of animosity or strife in your life. It is having all that you need in order to fulfill God’s purpose for your life, removing your inability and lack, your brokenness in life, to give you instead the riches of His blessed wholeness.
How does it become possible ?
It is where the pivotal role of the Holy Spirit comes into play. The anointing of the Spirit upon you, is how it all comes to pass, even as the Lord Himself has declared and portrayed it in His earthly ministry. For, it was the prophetic fulfillment of His purpose on earth, in the power of the Spirit, that He declared, as He found the place, where it was written about Him in the scriptures, to read, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me, To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord’. [Luke 4:18]
And you and I, in this wondrous season, in sharing the gospel, not only can proclaim the good news of what Christ has done in our lives, but can also be a proof of it. For, God never asks us to do anything that He has not already done in our lives. But what is becoming so very prevalent, even in the Christian society is the truth of the Messiah’s birth and perfect work on the Cross, being overtaken by the glossy lights and gifts, a pretense that quickly evaporates, only to leave a person empty and without real hope when the new year arrives. And, people sometimes go to the extent of taking their own lives, for they see no point in living anymore. Christ needs to be a must in Christmas, or it all ends in a mess! It is powerful truth, expressed very simply. But you and I have a wonderful and joyful gospel to proclaim. It is the goodness of God, that is in one word, ‘Jesus’; one that you experience and express, a joy that the world can never give you, and the world can never take away from you.
It is the gospel to the poor; to the one who acknowledges his spiritual bankruptcy, his inability and lack that is a result of it, and hence is able to receive the fullness of grace and truth, that comes from Lord Jesus, or the gospel of peace in his life. It has various aspects to it, touching every area and dimension of your life, to bring healing in your inner being, and deliverance, being set free from the bondage of sin, the cruel oppression that comes because of it. Sin can never be taken lightly; for, it brings damage and destruction in every realm, and area in you. But, you have an Almighty God, who has given His Only Begotten Son, to save you from it. And salvation that comes to you all by His grace, to be received by you in faith, is a blessing in every area of your being. And to the one who has been bruised, oppressed and trod upon, affected by negative circumstances, and calamities in life, you have good news that you can experience and express – God heals the broken-hearted.
Horrific incidents of crime and violence, against the innocent, the vulnerable and the weak, the down trodden, is what one can see all around. Technology may be increasing at a rapid pace, and it can do many things to provide a comfortable lifestyle, but it cannot change the heart that is twisted by sin. And, it is why a transformation, one that can happen only through the gospel becomes necessary, for it is by knowing the truth, that you are set free from the vicious tentacles of sin. And operating behind the scenes, in exploiting the sinful condition of man is the devil. The Lord could not have described him in better terms, for His words about him are, ‘The thief comes to steal, kill or destroy’. [John 10:10]
Therefore, wherever you find stealing, killing, or destruction, you can rest assured that it is the devil’s handiwork. But the Lord goes on to give the answer to it, in the very same verse, as He describes Himself saying, ‘But I have come to give you life, and life in all it’s abundance’. It is the good news of the gospel of Christ, that you can share with the one, who is damaged and broken by the cruel inequalities of this fallen world, that can so very easily drive a person to the brink of despair. And, as the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes, describes, it can lead a person to think that it is better to die, than to live in this world. [Ecclesiastes 4:1,2] Even today, your heart could be broken to such an extent, that you may begin to think that you would be better off dead, instead of living in such terrible circumstances, suffering indignity and harm in the hands of the people, whom you are forced to live with.
But it is never, and has never been the design and plan of God the Father, the God who is love. The apostle Paul has spoken forth with clarity that came through his transformation, to say that, ‘For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain’. [Philippians 1:21] You and I, can rest in the assurance that when we are absent in the body, we are present with the Lord. [2 Corinthians 5:8] And, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints, the psalmist has said. [Psalm 116:15] Your life is of great value to God. And if you are alive today, it only goes to show that there is a divine purpose to it. The very breath in your nostrils is only by His divine grace and mercy. And it is why, the psalmist exhorts you and I, in no uncertain terms, with words that say, ‘Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord’.[Psalm 150:6]
HE knows – HE hears – HE heals:
It is the good news of the gospel. Yes, there is no undermining your oppression. But God knows, God hears your broken cry. And, above all, God, heals your heart that is broken ! It is the message of Christmas that you can experience in your life, to express it to the hurting and broken world that surrounds you. It is the truth that comes shining through the scriptures, to speak into your heart and mine, to heal every wound and bring restoration.
1. God sent a deliverer:
They were good people; contributing by their work to the economy of the land where they dwelt. It debunks the myth, that bad things happen only to bad people ! But at a certain point in time the Israelites came under evil and cruel domination in Egypt, where they then dwelt. [Exodus 1:13,14] And domination, even now, results in unbearable damage to the person who has come under it. For God never dominates you. He leads you. He loves you, and you become flexible in His hand. And Godly leadership is expressed in serving others, and not lording it over other people, which is the pattern of the world, as Christ Himself has pointed out. At the Passover meal, He did the work of a servant, in washing the feet of the disciples. But He was still their leader!
It is the devil who brings you under domination, to someone, or something, and all the while deceiving you into thinking that you are the person in control. The power play of domination, began in the garden of Eden, when man began to suffer the consequences of his fall. ‘Your desire shall be for your husband, and he will rule over you’, said the Lord God to Eve, defining the change that was going to take place in the relationship between Adam and her. [Genesis 3:16] For the word ‘desire’, was the same as the warning that God spoke to Cain, concerning sin; that it’s desire was to have him. And, you and I know very well, that Cain did not heed it, but went on to kill his brother Abel, to become the very first murderer. [Genesis 4:7] The word ‘desire’ shows an alteration in the relationship between man and woman in marriage, where it would become a scenario, where each would try to control the other, in order to have their own way. And it was certainly not God’s intended purpose, as He blessed them to have dominion together as one unit, in order to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth.
God’s design as expressed in His word, is that of the wife submitting to her husband, as he loves her, even as Christ loved the church. And where there is love, submission becomes easy. Life can be as simple as that! But, that it is not always so, is the sad truth. For worldly principles begin to dictate terms in a marriage, and very often from the very beginning. And, the strong one dominates by intimidation, while the one who is weak, does the same, but by manipulation, which is equally dangerous in sabotaging the relationship. For, there is a vital difference between manipulation and motivation. Manipulation is from the devil, and it is always self centered. But, motivation is other centered, and focused on the good of the other person. God always motivates you, and it is always for your good, and the end result of it would bring glory and honor to His Name.
You have a good God, in whose eyes, in a marriage the man and woman become one flesh. And it is the absolute truth! Therefore, the one who controls, either by domination or manipulation, not only damages the person, with whom he or she is in a covenant relationship, but ends up getting hurt too. Sad, but true. And today, if you find yourself in such a painful and damaged condition, God wants to bring healing in your heart that is broken, that you may enter into a new year, without old baggage in the form of old wounds that are still festering, causing you pain in your inner being. It is the message of the gospel. He came to heal the broken hearted.
Intimidation, a tool of domination, is widely prevalent too, even today, in the so called liberated times, all over the world. And, it sees a person, or a group of people at the mercy of someone who has authority over them, that is used cruelly and mercilessly, and results in life becoming miserable to the one who is at the receiving end of it. People can use you to further their own ends and then cast you away, or worse still, crush you and then throw you away! Animals can be given more importance in a person’s life than another human being. It is the ridiculously carnal and selfish level that people can stoop to these days. It is no wonder, that Noah preferred to have more animals in his ark than human beings, is the humorous, and cynical comment that a person has made.
But then, life’s experiences are subjective, while God’s truth is objective and unchanging. So therefore, never allow your experiences to be the lens by which you gauge scripture. Rather, perceive your life’s experiences, through the word of God, and it will change your reality, to be in the way it needs to be. And that is the peace of God, reigning in your life! The Israelites lived in misery for 430 years, generation after generation. But, was it the end of their story? No. God heard their sighing. And, it was His constant love and timely intervention, that saw him raise up, and send a deliverer, Moses, to redeem them out of the house of bondage.
Your story and mine:
In your life and mine, it is the story of our salvation. As you put your trust in Lord Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you are redeemed from being in bondage to sin, and every domination that comes through it. You can have a new beginning, leaving your painful past behind. It is the gospel story.
2. It is an inclusive gospel:
It never discriminates, to cause pain and division in you, leading to the deep anguish of a heart that is broken. One that is broken by insults and shame that can arise because of inability and lack. And when you personally can do nothing to rectify your lack, the inability can lead you to a place of great despair. It was the story of Hannah, who was insulted and ridiculed because of her lack, that she did not have a child of her own. [1 Samuel 1:6-7] Therefore, year after year, a time of thanksgiving and celebration at the house of God, became to her a time of sorrow and bitter tears, that stemmed from a heart that was broken.
The situation has not changed much, even today, though the reason for a broken heart may vary. The world around you is warped and sinful in it’s thinking. And in the midst of the happy and joyful festivities, there could be a person who is shedding bitter tears on the inside, broken by the world’s cruel tongue. For, in the world, if you have something you are ridiculed for it, and if you do not have something you are laughed at for it. And, the world is also image conscious, where you need to fit into a certain mold, in the way you look, and act, in order to be accepted. The specifications of it could be different according to your culture, but there are always some external parameters, by which you are judged, and you are rejected and cast away if you do not satisfy it. In our country, it could be as basic as the complexion, the colour of your skin, when it is very obvious that the Creator who loves us has made us all in varied colors, shapes and sizes.
But the overriding factor is that, you and I, and every human being, have been created in His image. And, when you put your trust in Christ, you become a child of God, the Spirit in you, through which you call God, ‘Abba Father’. And how great is the love that the Father has lavished upon us, that we may be called children of God. [1 John 3:1] We are all trophies of imperfection; and we need to be so glad that God took us into His fold, to become His family, seated together in church, as brothers and sisters in Christ. Self righteousness can creep in so very easily. But, it is then that you and I need to realize that even in our faith walk, we did not begin as saints!
It is a process, a race, a fight of faith that begins on the day you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, to progress in you from glory to glory, as you reflect His image here on earth, until you see Him face to face one day in the glorious future! Therefore, may it be the desire of your heart, to show love to the world around you, instead of being discriminatory or judgemental. For, one never knows, what is happening within a person, the hidden pain that could be lurking inside, the heart that could be broken, that the world cannot see or know. But God knows. And it is the love of God that can heal a broken heart. It is the message of the gospel. And the inclusive nature of it is what you can experience and also express, so that any one who is weary, can come to the Lord, and find rest in his soul, and be healed of his brokenness.
3. I know that my Redeemer lives:
Trouble comes to all, in life; but to Job they all came in a single day, one after another. He began the day, prosperous in body and soul, with his family around him, alive and well, and all his possessions intact, making him a very wealthy man, in the society of that day. But the end of the day found him a broken man, having lost everything in life through calamities, and it was also no fault of his own. His wife who remained, tried to put him on the wrong path, to curse God and die, while his friends who came ostensibly to comfort him, only went on to analyze, and heap accusations of wrong doing upon him.
Job though, vindicated the faith that God had in him, to bow down in worship unto Him, in spite of it all, and did not sin. [Job 1:15 -17] It is the truth that the Bible states very clearly. And, you and I now know, why it all happened, and also what happened in the end, as Job received from God, a restoration that was twofold. And in the middle of all his brokenness of body and soul, he was able to simply trust in God to be able to say, ‘ I know My Redeemer lives…’ [Job 19;25] It was the anchor of truth, that saw him through.
And, HE still lives! –
Therefore, you may be the victim, of another person’s wrongdoing, and suffering innocently on account of it, or maybe, you are partly to be blamed, but suffering very greatly on account of it, the promise of God that comes to you this day is – God heals the broken hearted. It is the wonderful gospel that you can share this day, and also be a proof of, with the people who have suffered indignity, loss and lack, even as you have, for it is a fallen and broken world, that you and I live in. Lord Jesus is our Healer. And it all began on the Cross of Calvary.
Pierced for our transgressions:
The psalmist David, experienced much trouble in his life, was persecuted and afflicted, and there were many who rose against him. And it is the emotional brokenness that he went through, that he records in so many of his psalms- ‘I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel. For I hear the slander of many; fear is on every side While they take counsel together and scheme to take away my life. [Psalms 31:12,13] He describes his brokenness, and as he always does, arrives at the answer to it, the safe place, to point to us also the way, as he says – But as for me, I trust in you, O Lord, I say, ‘You are my God’ My times are in your hands, Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me. [vs 15]
And even in this season, as we remember the birth of the Savior, one can never ever ignore the message of the Cross. For, He came to die on the Cross for your sins and mine, the sins of the whole world. He rose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven, to sit at His Father’s right hand, and lives in each one of our hearts, even as we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, as a guarantee of our inheritance. And by His Stripes you are healed. Let this truth touch your heart to heal you. There is no longer the need to probe or dwell on your painful past. Look at the Cross instead, where the Saviour has carried it all away. As the prophet has magnificently described it all -Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His Stripes we are healed. [Isaiah 53:4,5] He was crushed and broken on the Cross, so that you and I can be made whole, and need no longer be broken hearted. It is what we remember, as we partake of the Lord’s Table, where knowing fully well, what lay ahead of Him, He took the bread, to break it and say, ‘This is My Body broken for you’. And He lifted up the cup of wine, to say, ‘This cup is the new covenant, in My Blood, which is shed for you’.[Luke 22:20] And, on the Cross, His side was pierced, so that His heart was ruptured, punctured, and every drop of Blood was shed, for you, and for me! His heart was broken, so that we can be healed of our broken hearts. The Lord is close to the broken hearted, the psalmist says. [Psalm 34:18] How close? Closer than you think! He heals the broken hearted, and binds up their wounds. [Psalm 147;3] A bruised reed He never breaks. You and I have a wounded Healer! How powerfully comforting is the truth.
Therefore, whatever the nature or size of the wound that you are laden with, may you be empowered by the Holy Spirit, to put a full stop to it this day, by experiencing the brokenness of Christ on the Cross, to move to a place of wholeness, so that you may enter into a new year, lighthearted and free! Let healing be your experience and expression of the gospel – the good news of the Savior, that you will be able to share with the one who is broken within, as you say, ‘The God who has healed my brokenness, is the Lord who heals you’. He is never the cause of your broken heart; but your deep wounds and inner anguish, He touches to heal you and make you whole. It was our sins that led Him to the Cross, for His body to be broken, for His Blood to be shed.
The chastisement for our peace, our wholeness was laid upon Him. And, by His Stripes we are healed. Oh, what peace we often forfeit; oh what needless pain we bear. Only carry them to Him in prayer. In His arms He will take and heal you. You will find solace there.
In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
