ISAIAH 30:25-26 – And on every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.”
THEME OF THE DAY: HE HURTS US TO HELP US. I know the theme of the day might be a “head scratcher” making no sense but stay with me today. I hope that we will see this is a truth that every child of God will learn, and even rejoice in its application for spiritual growth.
A casual reading of the scripture reveals God does bring pain in the lives of His children; physical, spiritual, and emotional. Do a deeper dive in His Word observing the lives of Job, David, Heman, Asaph, the Apostle Paul, and Jesus Himself. Suffering doesn’t just happen to God’s children. God sends it to His children. The prophet Isaiah would give us helpful insight into this mysterious truth that God hurts us to help us – And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher (Isaiah 30:20). Further in his book, Isaiah would put a name on this suffering inflicted on God’s children – Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction (Isaiah 48:10). And one more layer of evidence supporting this truth comes from the New Testament and the Apostle Paul – For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, (Philippians 1:29).
In today’s scripture, we read of the Lord binding up and healing His people because He inflicted many wounds upon them by His blows; blows of love. Remember that. The rod of correction is held in Divine Hands of love. It is very important we keep them in our hearts and minds when God brings suffering into our lives.
The history of God’s people of old goes like this; there is deliverance by the Lord, then forgetfulness and idolatry by His people, followed by judgment through pain and suffering from the Lord, leading to repentance, and healing from the Lord. And we are not unlike them. As with God’s dealing of His people under the Old Covenant so it is with His New Covenant people – us. God is a chastening God. A disciplining God. A correcting God and that is for our help or our good (Hebrews 12:3-13). And what is one of the “goods” that come from God hurting us? Spiritual fruit, and not just fruit, but more fruit and then much fruit. Jesus would teach us in the Parable of the Vine and Branches that to produce spiritual fruit from our lives, we must be hurt or purged, and the purging is from the two things that prevent spiritual fruit – worldliness and ourselves. Here are the Lord’s words showing this “purging progression” that leads to “progressive spiritual fruit” – fruit, more fruit, and much fruit.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:1-5).
So, today’s theme isn’t really a “head scratcher” after all. God will hurt us to help us or purge us so we may be all we may be for His glory and our good!
PRAYER: “Father, thank You that Your rod of correction is held in Your hand of steadfast love.”
QUOTE: “God hurts us not to hurt us in an unhealthy manner but to do the good work of purging us from ourselves.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim