"He Heals the Brokenhearted and Bandages Their Wounds"

 Today I said good-bye to a dear friend.  One I have known since she was three-years-old.  Her mom was my Camp Fire Leader, and Betty Kim always came to our meetings.  The memory of her standing in the doorway of their den, watching from afar, and then making her move down the steps as, in her mind, a member of our troupe has, for some reason, been emblazoned in my mind.  She will always be that little girl, but that little girl grew up.  

She grew up and became an incredible mother who focused solely on her daughter.  She loved the unfailing, totally unconditional love of a mother...and did it brilliantly.  Betty and Taylor were a beautiful example of motherhood and friendship.  Though Betty has not yet crossed through the veil to eternity, I am heartbroken for her daughter and her sister, my dear friend...I am heartbroken for myself.  When she steps into heaven, we will be left behind.  

But God is so good, isn't He?  In Psalm 147, the Psalmist says, "Hallelujah! How good it is to sing to our God, for praise is pleasant and lovely...He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.  He counts the number of the stars; he gives names to all of them.  Our LORD is great, vast in power; his understanding is infinite."  He names each of the stars that He has slung into the heavens with His own powerful hand.  If He cared enough to make sure EACH of those stars had a name, just imagine how much He cares for His children.   

I am certain that He sits next to my friend, Betty Kim, on her bed holding her hand.  He loves her deeply, and He is whispering to her, "It's alright, My Child.  I am here.  Soon you will be home.  It is alright.  I am with you."

Though the pain is heart-wrenching, the sure knowledge that He is comforting everyone in Leslie's house gives me peace.  In a short while, Betty Kim will be divinely healed of the Lung Cancer that has consumed her.  She will no longer have pain, and she will be laughing and talking with her Mother and her Dad.  She will be free.  

As He closes the veil behind her, our loving Father will step into her empty space, and heal the broken hearts left behind.

He is loving, faithful, and true.  He will never leave us nor forsake us.  I give praise for His faithfulness and His never ending love.  

Until next time, My Friends.  

In Search of my King and Savior,

Terrie

Colossians 2

 Hi There, My Friends.  I seem to be moving away from Isaiah and on to other things for now.  Perhaps I'll move back, but Paul seems to be calling my name.  Today I have been reading Colossians 1 & 2.  

In Chapter 1, Paul tells us, "He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves."  I marvel at this.  In Isaiah, God speaks about a vineyard and how He worked hard and did all that was required to make that vineyard grow beautiful, luscious grapes.  But it didn't.  He asks what more He could have done.  Then He says there was nothing.  So He decided He would basically bulldoze the vineyard and get rid of it.  That vineyard was Israel.  His beloved.  He did bulldoze it and sent it away.  

But He didn't ever give up on it...not really.  Because 700 years later He sent His one and only son "making peace through His blood, shed on the cross." Colossians 1:20

Don't you find His love and kindness so AMAZING??  We can say, "Even Though..., He loves us."  Even though we so grievously hurt His heart, He stands and waits for us to knock on the door so He can let us in because He loves us.

Paul writes:  "For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person.  I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery--Christ.  In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."  Colossians 2:1-3

I think this is why I keep moving more and more to Paul.  He wrote this letter from prison.  He was experiencing great suffering, but he still found his peace and joy in Christ.  He never shifted his eyes away from the Savior.  May we all have that strength in the coming days.  As the days grow darker, remember:

"He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into (light) the kingdom of the Son he loves."  Keep your eyes on Jesus...the light and the truth.  In Him we can get through anything...can't we?

In Search of Christ,

Terrie