Thanks for pausing from your Christmas activities to spend a moment here. Here’s another of God’s “I WILL” promises to take with you today.
Given all the running around as we shop for gifts and attend Christmas parties, it is easy to catch a cold and end up in bed. I remember one horrible holiday when my husband and I both came down with the stomach flu. Unfortunately, the turkey was already defrosted and had to be cooked. The odor of the roasting bird permeated the house, and instead of being a sweet fragrance of good things to come, the scent nauseated my already queasy stomach. Gene and I could barely face a cup of broth, let alone sitting down to turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes.
There is never a good time to be sick. Feeling lousy interrupts our plans, keeps us from work, and slows us down. Many of the people Jesus met faced chronic health issues. One man was born blind. Another had been crippled for almost forty years. Others were tormented by evil spirits for many years. They had no hope for a cure.
In Jeremiah 30:12,13, the Lord told his people that their wound was chronic and incurable! There was no one to plead their cause. There was no healing to hope for, no recovery in sight, because nothing on earth could remove their sin. But all that changes in verse 17 when the Lord promises: “I will give you back your health and I will heal your wounds.” In the next five verses, he offers six more “I will” promises of restoration and health. Count them for yourself!
Why not take time today to thank the Lord for healing your soul and restoring your spirit? And then take another moment to call someone who is feeling sick or who is stuck in bed, and sing a Christmas carol to them over the phone!
Amen