“Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” Luke 4:14-21 NLT
REFLECTION
Jesus’ ministry causes me to marvel, even when life is messy. Life is marvellous and messy. And in order for us to fully experience what is marvellous, we need to be willing to prayerfully work through the mess. For example: when something or someone triggers intense emotion, we can choose to dismiss it with distractions and excuses (which only delays, deepens and exacerbates the inevitable pain of dealing with the human condition) or we can take our messy situation and emotions to our merciful Maker in honest prayer, and when we do the latter we can trust Him to help us take the trail from the point of trigger to the root reason(s), where deep healing can happen (in His higher way and timing). And – because not one of us is perfect – we are all in need of ongoing healing and transformation. We all have broken parts, which is why Jesus came. The good news is that we can come to Jesus as we are and enter into the ongoing process of healing and transformation. I can testify that, in Christ, it is possible to truly heal and transform (from the inside out). Is it always easy? No. Is it worthwhile? Yes. It’s an arduous and amazing adventure, that cannot be taken alone…we need Jesus (who is the Head) and the Body of Christ (the Church) to be able to truly heal and transform.
PRAYER POEM:
JESUS – Healer of hearts – You know the real reasons why I weep, so to You I give my heart to keep.
Great Shepherd of the sheep – the One who knows not slumber nor sleep, there is no sorrow too deep, nor mountain too steep, no need You cannot meet, no foe You cannot defeat.
Restoring Redeemer – before You alone I kneel, for You reveal and heal what the enemy cannot steal – to You my life I bring and sing: Jesus Christ – Healer of my heart, my Conquering King!
In Jesus’ name, amen.