There are many ways to view Jesus - Prophet, Priest, King, Son of God, Servant, Bridegroom, etc. When He was on this earth He was a rabbi, a teacher, and a servant. These are all ways we can portray Christ to the inhabitants of this world and it is vitally important that we ourselves learn to view Christ in all of these and many other ways.
However, as I look across the state of our culture here in North America I observe something extremely troubling...pain. Everywhere you turn families are crumbling. Fathers and mothers are abandoning their children and each other, if not physically then emotionally. This has left a multitiude of individuals in the wake feeling uwanted, unneeded, and alone. We as North Americans have created a culture that makes it very difficult to spend the amount of time and energy necessary for life's most meaningful relationships. Unfortunately the end result is a generation that is reeling with pain and fear. When someone has much pain in their heart they have an extremely difficult time seeing anyone but themselves. Our culture is now filled with individuals that are so inwardly focused that they have no idea how to care for the many hurts that are all around them. This pain is usually curtained behind a shield of anger which only causes more pain. It is a viscously destructive cycle. Even the church is unaware of how to deal with the problem, in part because we ourselves are caught in this maelstrom of hurt.
So, although I realize the importance of seeing and learning about the many titles and roles of Jesus, I would like to focus in this blog on Jesus the Healer. When Jesus began His ministry He stated that His purpose for coming was "... to preach the gospel to the poor; ... 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". Although He did physically heal many people, I believe this verse is in reference to the spiritual freedom and healing that we experience when we allow Him to touch our hearts. I believe Jesus' true desire for the ones he came in contact with was not just to heal their bodies, but to heal their souls. In short, He desired to give them eternal life, forgiveness of sins, and a purpose that transcended themselves. Our world is desperately in need of this healing touch. He wants to heal you too. No matter what you've done. No matter what you've been through, Jesus wants to show you His healing power.
Once you have experienced His healing touch you will be able to grow in your knowledge of who Christ is in a more holistic way. You will be able to learn that He is a King, a Judge, a Father, a Husband, and on and on. Again it is extemely important for us to learn to know Christ in a comprehensive way, but it is my belief that we first need to know, understand, and experience His healing powers before we can move on into a more mature understanding of who He is.
The purpose of this blog is to dialogue about the many hurts with which individuals have been afflicted, it is to encourage and give hope to those people, but mainly it is to remind everyone that the only true source of healing comes from the Great Physician - that Gentle Healer from Galilee whose delight is to touch and heal hearts. May you find this healing and, as you do, may you be set free to raise your hands toward heaven, glorify our majestic God, and live for the renown of His Son - the ultimate source of true healing.
