WONDERING GURU
Is 61:1-2A, 10-11; 1 Thes 5:16-24; Jn 1:6-8, 19-28
Israel during Isaiah’s time was totally heartbroken. The people of God were broken down and beaten, scattered, shattered, battered, and tattered by life. Their lives appeared to go from victor to victim as their lives laid in ruins. The local officials were unable to rectify the situation. But Isaiah wanted them to look up to the almighty King to the one who could raise up what has been beaten down, who can release what has been held captive, bind up what has been broken, repair what has been ruined and deliver what has been devastated.
So, the prophet proclaimed the comfort, the joy of God. Israel is going to get God’s attention once again. God’s people who are in: calamity, desolation, crisis situation, mourning, trouble, hard times, difficult circumstances, heaviness of heart, inner hurts, depression, despair, dejection, hopelessness, broken hearted, suicidal tendencies, self-pity, excessive mourning, insomnia etc. will surely get His attention.
We too in modern times experience heart breaks many times. God knows that we would be burnt by life’s experiences. But he also knew he could replace that burnt out mess with something beautiful. Whatever God’s hands touch becomes beautiful. All you need is a touch from the master’s hand. In 1983 the National Institute of Mental Health Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. said 1 in 5 have significant symptoms of depression. Depression affects Christians because they get so wrapped up with the process of living day to day that they begin to lose interest in and neglect God’s word. They feel the weight of serving God because the joy is gone and they are left with the dull mechanics of Christian living.
How do we mend a broken heart?
I. Broken Hearts need the balm of Compassion-The Bible says that when Jesus saw the multitudes he was moved with compassion. Broken hearts are found in all classes of people. No one is exempt from the possibility of experiencing a broken heart. The word broken hearted in our text literally means to be pressed down upon by calamities or broken by a sense of sinfulness or affliction or betrayal.
II. Broken Hearts need to surrender in prayer-Lay your burdens down give them to the Lord in prayer. A speaker walked around the room while teaching stress management to the audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they would be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers were called out from the audience ranging from 8 to 20. She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for a half hour, my arm will begin to ache. If I hold it for hours, my arm will feel numb and become paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass does not change, yet the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. The stresses the worries in life are much like that glass of water. Dwell on them for a short while and nothing much happens. Dwell on them a bit longer and they begin to cause pain. Let go of your stresses quickly before they turn into worries. Do not carry them through the evening or into the night. Learn to put the glass down! Prayer is an expression of our faith. An expression that states we trust God and His word. "Why worry when you can pray?" Corrie Ten Boom shared this truth: "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." Paul tells us that we have a choice, a choice to rejoice. Joy is a choice. We are not a victim of the circumstances. If we believe in God and in his Word then He is our Guide, not fate, not some kind of uncontrollable force.
Hymn: Give them all to Jesus
Conclusion: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28-29). When we had a question at school, we would give it to a teacher. When we are sick and helpless, we give control to a physician. When there is a legal problem that we cannot solve, we give it to a lawyer. When in life we face difficulties when we have burdens, we need to pray and entrust them, to give them to God.
Rejoice in the Lord dear brothers and sisters. Let your soul exult in our God. The Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up in your life.
👉3rd Sunday of Advent, 17th December 2023
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