“And Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and named it Yahweh-Shalom (which means ‘the Lord is peace’). The altar remains in Ophrah in the land of the clan of Abiezer to this day.” (Judges 6:24 NLT)
Wellness is much more than the lack of physical ailments. My sense is the Lord is concerned about a lot more in our lives than our aches and pains. God’s plan for us is not simply wellness, but wholeness of heart, mind, soul, and body. I’m “sick” in my body, but my soul and spirit are soaring. The Lord Jesus has never been more real to me, closer, speaking more clearly than in this season of my life. We’re able to see God so much more clearly when we stop chasing the things of the world.
We’re “broken,” not because our bodies fail in some way, but because our heart, mind, soul, and body aren’t operating in harmony with their Creator. Sin is what “breaks” us, causing us to doubt and/or ignore God and His clear intentions to help us find wholeness and healing in Him. I love Sylvia Gunter’s words:
“Be blessed with God’s design and purpose for us in Christ, in total oneness with Him in every way. Be blessed to know the healing power of His presence and His restoration of every broken place. His mighty power is giving us victory over every enemy through His light that shines out of our broken earthen vessel. Be blessed to be whole in spirit, soul, and body in harmony with God’s peace and His purpose for your life. He brings us the greatest and deepest measure of satisfaction, fulfillment, and completeness that we can possibly know.” (See The Father’s Business God’s Peace and Purpose For You – 02-15-23)
The Lord’s presence can be more real than the person standing next to you, and as you learn to silence the noise of the world, His voice will become crystal clear. I’m continuing to ask the Lord to allow me to get better at helping those I love, who continue to ignore Him, to understand what it means to know, love, trust, and follow the God of the Bible, revealed in His only Son, the Lord Jesus.
For years I’ve read the writings of men of God who have tried to explain and reveal who Jesus is and what it means to know, love, and follow Him, but in this season of my life I’m not only beginning to understand, but experience His life and love in ways I never dreamed I could. As I’m reading with fresh eyes Henry Blackaby and Claude V. King’s “Experiencing God,” it’s like my heart wants to jump out of my chest.
If you’re struggling in this season of your life, regardless of the cause, please do two things that have helped me. First, begin reading the Bible with fresh eyes and an eager, expectant heart, beginning in the Gospel of John. Read with pen and paper at hand so you can jot down the new things you’ll see and understand. Then, secondly, read “Experiencing God.” It’s written in simple, understandable language that can walk you through some steps to help you “experience” God, maybe for the first time in your life, regardless of how long you’ve “known” Him.
And please don’t hear what I’m not saying. I’m not suggesting that if you have a certain emotional “experience,” or jump through the “right hoops” it’s going to set things right in your life. No, what you (each of us) need is to see God with new eyes and an expectant heart. To let Him teach you how to hear His instructions and feel the warmth of His loving heart for you.
In our normal, day-to-day routine we can easily miss Him in the context of trying to make our life work. The problem is, our life will never “work” unless and until we experience the life of the Savior intimately, personally, longingly, and expectantly. God can’t and won’t fix the broken pieces of our lives until we ask Him with simple, childlike faith, expecting Him to move in ways we’d miss if we weren’t looking for them.
Let’s pick this up in tomorrow’s post.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 