Today a tragic story in the News Paper and not isolated– and Jesus knows and cares!
I met with a Pastor not long ago and the topic got onto how there are people he encourages who feel despair, depressed, hopeless, without any happiness at all. It got me thinking about “Intimacy With Christ” restoring hope, transforming the depressed, giving joy to those who are in mourning sitting in ash heaps.
I’ve heard it said more than once or twice that Alberta has leading concerns in the area of domestic violence and depression. One web site- at just a simple quick search- came up with this:
http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/article.cfm?id=7040
The site basically supports the idea mentioned above. Also, other practitioners have said that 1/5 persons will at some point experience depression some time in their life. I have spoken with and to more than one or two persons who struggled with depression. I also had coffees with counselors and pastors who spoke to me about such cases. So, today– February 24th, 2010 there’s a good chance that such persons exist.
I once heard a long time ago that anxiety, depression, and guilt are primary causes for hospital beds being filled every minute in North America. I looked for a site that would substantiate this so I could cite it– but, didn’t find it- yet. Yet– we know– the state of the mind does influence the over-all delicate and minute or microscopic functions of the body.
So, what does “Intimacy With Christ” have to do with Depression, Domestic Violence, and Suicide?
Psalmist 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
Isaiah— speaking prophetically what God was going to do by His Chosen One- The Messiah:
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
The Lord Jesus Reading and Thus Pointing to Himself:
Luke 4:18, 21
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,.. And he began to say unto them; This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
The Greek Word “thrauo” translated “brokenhearted” / “downtrodden” – literally means to break into pieces–or to shatter into small pieces.
Matthew 12:20
He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
2 Corinthians 7:6
But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us
Now, let me say this first— there are some so far down the ladder that their psyche/state of mind has basically taken their body and chemical balance to the bottom. So– have you considered that perhaps God is leading you to get to a Dr. for help so that you can get your body/chemical balances in a much, much better place? Then, after that- maybe then it’s time to seek out a professional who is licensed to speak with as well as someone who is known to be “Intimate With Christ”?
All truth is God’s truth. He made us. He knows us. He is intimate already with every man woman and child on planet earth in that He knows when we rise and when we retire. He knows what we’ve been through and what we will go through. Science– under God’s caring provision can be a good thing. Yes– we call Jesus- The Great Physician– however, combined with that- He’s Sovereign Lord, too– and so– may be leading you to seek help outside of the darkness and despair you suffer.
(Some books written by professionals on such topics)
What kind of God is this God that He comforts? He’s loving! What kind of God is this that He actually cares one inch about you, your family, or friends– He’s Compassionate! What kind of God is this that He in one day “took away” all the spottiness of wrong doing to those who trust in Christ on that cursed tree– He’s forgiving! (God has not given us a spirit of fear/timidity before His Face- but, rather power to change, love to feel loved and love, and a sound mind- one that’s on track with True truth.)
Friend: Jesus Christ is a friend to the downcast! I’ve heard story upon story upon story upon story of Him healing families- ending domestic violence- and lifting up those who are in misery to have the feet of mountain goats or the wings of an eagle to once again dwell in the “high places.” No– he’s not a “Morphine Jesus” to keep you high all the time– but, He can recover, renew, and restore.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
Job 3:1, 12
After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth…. Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed? (Job knew what it was to be down-cast. And just read the last verses of Job and see how good God is– God is Good! )
Friend– Jesus knows and cares and understands you better than you know yourself. He made Dr.’s, Psychiatrists, Psychologists……. He gets your point. If you read the above verses you’ll see— The Bible Never Tries To Minimize A Situation Or Someone’s Pain.
The “Father-Mother God” (Jan. 19- My Utmost For His Highest- Oswald Chambers): The Bible teaches us that God is a Father to the fatherless. Someone can be fatherless in two ways– either you just didn’t have a dad at home or you have a dad or mom but they are emotionally not there for you at all. God both reveals in the Bible Himself as a father– a good father and as like a mother hen wanting to gather her chicks to herself for protection and nourishment.
Matthew 23:37
How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
Jesus is All-Knowing: He knows when you stand up and he knows when you sit down. He knows you inside out and that counts for something when we speak of “Intimacy With Christ” as He calls everyone to come and take his yoke upon them and learn of him– He calls all who are weary and heavy-laden. Is that You?
Colossians 1:16
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Psalm 139:1-13
O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
You know– Jesus Christ calls and transforms people on basically the primary 3 levels of counseling out there? Yes He does!
Cognitively Jesus wants to transform your mind. He says, “I am the truth.” He says that His Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth and He- God- Jesus- desires truth in your innermost being. The Holy Spirit- being the back-drop of authoring the Bible filled it with thousands of important truths. Many people are tormented because they believe a lie about something and so try to either carry the world on their shoulders, or seek to lift it up as though they should, and realize how heavy the burden all the time feeling that they should lift it, but- realize/fear they cannot.
Emotively Jesus wants you to experience Joy and a whole other range of positive emotions/healthy ones. He wants you to experience His peace. He wants you to experience His love. He wants to transform you emotionally from the inside out.
Behaviorally Jesus is instructs and calls one into behavior that is both productive/helpful and that which will be rewarded in the future. He wants our behavior to conform to loving our God with everything, loving our neighbors/ourselves, and loving our enemies. He’s concerned about behavior- and so tells the woman caught in adultery to go and sin no more.
Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor as we are told in Isaiah– He counsels His people by exhortation in that He tells us what to do and not to do in the Bible and reminds/enables us by His Spirit to be productive citizens of Heaven first and earth. He counsels by encouragement- speaking to our fears the truth to us in love. He counsels by insight– He listens beneath our words to what we are really saying. He hears us and listens. He can read between the lines and send the resources we need to be over-comers.
When we are told to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ”- we’re not believing on a dead man whose bones are buried 2000 some years ago. When we put our trust in Him- as many as received Him to them God the Father gave them the power to become the sons and daughters of God. We enter a family. Our whole nature is transformed into something of the likeness of Jesus’ nature. We enter the potential for loving, encouraging, and insightful relationships.
One song says:
Put on the garments of praise, for the spirit of heaviness;
Let the oil of gladness flow down from your throne!
Put on the garments of praise, for the spirit of heaviness;
Your joy is my strength alone, my strength alone!
Make these broken weary bones rise to dance again,
Wet this dry and thirsty land with a river!
Lord our eyes are fixed on you and we are waiting,
For your garland of grace as we praise your name.
Another says:
As the deer pants for the water, So my soul longs after You. You alone are my heart’s desire And I long to worship You. You alone are my strength, my shield, To You alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart’s desire And I long to worship You. I want You more than gold or silver, Only You can satisfy. You alone are the real joy-giver And the apple of my eye. You’re my Friend and You are my Brother, Even though You are a King. I love You more than any other, So much more than anything. Or: Calvary’s love will sail foreverBright and shining, strong and free
Like an ark of peace and safety
On the sea of human need
Through the hours of all the ages
Those tired of sailing on their own
Finally rest inside the shadow
Cast by Calvary’s love across their soulsChorus:
Calvary’s love, Calvary’s love
Priceless gift Christ makes us worthy of
The deepest sin can’t rise above
Calvary’s love
Calvary’s love can heal the Spirit
Life has crushed and cast aside
And redeem til Heaven’s promise
Fills with joy once empty eyes
No comments:
Post a Comment