(Picture credits at end of post)
The Wounded Heart
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, 19 to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19 – AKJV)
I sustained a blow recently (a spiritual shock to my soul and spirit) that caused me to understand the prophetical utterance Jesus made where he mentions healing the brokenhearted.
Having a broken heart is a figure of speech and not an actual splintering of our physical heart. It is, however, an apt description of what one feels like when sustaining an emotional or psychological blow to one’s mind and spirit. When you’ve been severely hurt by life and circumstance, being heartbroken seems the best way to describe it.
In my own experience I feel more like I have been wounded. Like an open wound needs time and medication to bring healing, and to prevent it from festering, so does a wounded heart.
Mercifully, wounds of this nature have been few and far between in my own life. Since coming to Christ almost fifty years ago I have always had His healing touch to restore me.
I have thought, however, of those who have been wounded, not once or twice, as has been my own case, but many times. I have seen men and women, and children too, with their spirits broken, bearing open wounds that refuse to heal.
There are people out there with hard hearts and sharp tongues who inflict wounds on others without even thinking about it. I have seen abuse laid upon children and spouses that has broken their spirit. I have seen anger and Unforgiveness rip marriages apart, bestowing a heritage of despair upon the children.
To these I can only refer to the One who heals the brokenhearted. As many wounded hearts as I seen, I have also seen countless others whose wounds have been healed by a touch from the Master’s Hand.
None but the poor brokenhearted
(© 29th December 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me… to heal the brokenhearted… (Luke 4:18 – AKJV)
None but the poor brokenhearted
Can come to really understand
How a touch from Christ the Saviour
Can meet the battered soul’s demand.
Only the poor brokenhearted
Can appreciate Christ’s true touch;
Only the wounded in spirit
Can exult in His love, so much.
When open wounds are still bleeding,
And the heart has tasted despair,
Only the poor brokenhearted
Can exult in His Presence there.
For, friend, when the heart is bleeding,
And the wounds are many and deep,
Only the touch of my Saviour
Has power to heal those who weep.
Please check out my books at My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor
Photo used under CC0 Public Domain license. Please note the Disclaimer at the final link. This photo is in the public domain.