Friday, December 1, 2023

Strengthened, Made Level and Healed


 "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.  Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed" ( Hebrews 12:12 & 13 NIV).

When we strengthen ourselves with God and obedience to His Word and make level paths I believe we will find healing, spiritually and even often physically.

When we read the verses preceding our focus verses (see Hebrews 12:1-11), we'll find the prescription for the strengthening, leveling and healing as found in verses 12 and 13.  

"Running with perseverence," "enduring hardship as discipline,"  and "submitting to our Heavenly Father our spirits, so we will live" we will find the further strengthening, leveling and healing that comes from the whole process.

This is for all who are children of God.  Allow yourself to be trained and disciplined by God our Father.

Recently, a friend fell and broke her leg.  She had to have surgery to help her heal.  That was the doctor's part.  Her part now, she told us, is to do the physical therapy needed to strengthen her leg and keep it nimble.

While visiting her, a group of us discovered that several among us have had leg or other limb injuries.  They were enjoying themselves telling their stories.  Some were left with slight limps or restricted movements but they do each manage a more or less normal range of motion and body capacity to function, almost like before. 

Each had had to do their part though.  Similarly, God gives His children discipline but we have to do our part and submit to the training.  After all, He does this for our good.

Yes, we may end up with scars and/or feeble knees, but we can persevere towards the goal of healing.  This is exactly what our friend purposes.  She has set her goal that by Christmastime, she'll be able to come to church and celebrate the birth of Jesus together with the rest of her brothers and sisters-in-Christ.

When we apply this to our spiritual daily Christian living, let us be so focused and fix our eyes on Jesus, and submit to Him and His discipline.  It is good for us and will yield a harvest of righteousness and peace when we allow the training to work in our lives.

May all our feeble arms and weak knees (even as we age) to be strengthened.  May we be making our paths level, so our spiritual lameness and disabilities will be healed through Christ.

Father God, thank You for the discipline You put us through.  Of course, it is painful and we'd rather not have to go through it at all.  Nevertheless, thank You for the training as You create within us the holiness You desire.  You do want us to be healed.

In our feeblenesses and weaknesses, with patience may we still persevere, endure, submit, and strengthen ourselves, taking on the responsibility that is our part to do.

Thank You for the healing that then comes from You, both spiritually and physically.

In Jesus' name we give You our heartfelt praise and thanksgiving.

                                            ~ERC  November 2023~

Based on Hebrews 12:1-13 especially verses 12 & 13 NIV.

Sing, Jesus You Are My Healer, along with Don Moen.









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