Healer of the Broken

This devotional was written by Robin Dugall. (from www.crosswalk.com)

“God, if you would be pleased with sacrifices, I would bring them. If all you wanted were offerings, I would make them. But you want a broken and contrite heart, God. That is what You want... that is what you will never turn away.” Psalm 51:16-17

I love the song composed by Chris Tomlin, “This is our God.” I love the fact that, as my community and I sing it, we are in the process of “painting” a clear and accurate picture of who God is. God is a Refuge for the poor, a Shelter from the storm, a Father to the orphan, a Healer of the broken, a Fountain for the thirsty, and a Lover of the lonely. Simple songs like this do more than inspire our worship; they combat all sorts of inaccurate pictures of God. A lot of people don’t know or have never been introduced to the God that the Bible talks about. In other words, there are so many misconceptions about who God is. On the other hand, it has always been my belief that once a person gets an accurate and full picture of who God is, they will yield their lives to Him. You see, God is a God who inspires us to worship and serve.

One of the snapshots of God that means the most to me and many others is that the God we worship and serve is a Healer of the Broken. Brokenness is something that every single one of us has experienced in life. That’s why we need to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is the Healer of broken hearts, lives, emotions and people. In fact, sometimes it is God Himself who leads us to brokenness.

Sooner or later, every person who wants to seriously follow Jesus must face the fact that God is going to have to allow something to break you so that you will let go of the stubborn vice grip you have on your own heart and life. In order for God to guide you the way He wants, you’re going to have to be broken. You are going to have to be broken from self-reliance in order for God to heal and restore you to the place where your trust and reliance is on Him.

Personal brokenness is God’s way of moving you into a new identity and a new life. Because God is the Healer of the broken, you can trust Him to put you back together when you’ll never be able to put yourself together on your own.

GOING DEEPER:
1. Take a moment and think... how much of your life do you withhold or even withdraw from God’s hand? How much of your life/your plans do you dare not relinquish to God?
2. How deeply are you broken? Where does God need to break you more?

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 51; Luke 14:25-35; Galatians 5:22-23