Monthly theme: Daily Healing
Reading time: two minutes
Resilience beats strength.
Strong things like skyscrapers will eventually crumble. Resilient things, like forests, suffer hard blows, but find their way back.
My grandchildren are resilient. It seems like every time we’re together, someone gets another bruise, but God’s healing power is amazing, and they’re back at it again quickly.
Ministry is bruising. Congregational conflict, ministry finances, harsh words spoken, long hours, family strain: each leaves it’s mark.
But just like my grandchildren know so well, God heals.
Martin Luther taught the healing power of God’s Sacraments in the Large Catechism and elsewhere. Every day we experience the bumps and bruises of the way of the cross in ministry.
And every day the power of the Holy Spirit to heal and restore by God’s blessing and promise is poured out upon all who will turn to Him in faith and trust.
It’s a continuous cycle: the cry for mercy, and the Lord’s healing grace.
Here’s a couple of quick quotes from The Large Catechism.
On Baptism: “No greater jewel, therefore, can adorn our body and soul than baptism, for through it we become completely holy and blessed, which no other kind of life and no work on earth can acquire.”
On Holy Communion: “We must never regard the sacrament as a harmful thing from which we should flee, but as a pure, wholesome, soothing medicine that aids you and gives life in both soul and body. For where the soul is healed, the body is helped as well.”
On Absolution: “If you are poor and miserable, then go and make use of the healing medicine. Those who feel their misery and need will no doubt develop such a desire for confession that they will run to it with joy.”
And of course God’s Word is a gift for healing us of all our wounds and bruises. “He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave” (Psalm 107:20).
Sometimes it seems like a life in ministry is an endless stream of hurt and setbacks. Maybe it is.
But never forget that the Lord’s healing gifts are an even greater river of blessing.
Life in ministry on this side of heaven is a daily, repeated cycle of brokenness and healing.
It’s why we remain constant in prayer. Prayers of lament, as we come seeking mercy for the wounds we have endured. Prayers of gratitude for God’s good gifts of healing.
Then picking up the cross to follow. Then lament. Then gratitude.
And the joy of knowing the healing touch of Jesus every day.
Thanks for reading.
