Psalm 147:3
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
Some times I feel discouraged,
And think my work's in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit
Revives my soul again.
There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin sick soul.
If you can't preach like Peter,
If you can't pray like Paul,
Just tell the love of Jesus,
And say He died for all.
There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin sick soul.
What does it mean to you to find healing in God?
Jeremiah 8:20-22
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. [21] For
the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment
hath taken hold on me. [22] Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician
there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
Jeremiah was a faithful, tenderhearted shepherd. He identified with the
hurts of his people as seen in vs. 21 and felt the heavy burden of their
sin. He was grieved and disturbed that they would not seek after God.
(Do we hurt as much when we see others making harmful choices??) God had
given Jeremiah some hard messages to preach because the people were disobedient
and unfaithful to the Lord. He appealed to them to return unto the Lord
but they would not. They showed no sign of repentance….
Isaiah 1:5
Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the
whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Here is a portion of scripture describing a people who have missed their
God-given opportunity - and it would never come again! Where God extended
His grace, they refused it. Hence, their wounds were raw where they should
have been healed. Whenever we don't let God manage our lives, there will
be deep infection. Jeremiah was crushed because the people rejected the
remedy to the severity of their problems. He realized how close God's
people were to God's judgments and how far away they were from well-being!
In looking at the testimony of Christians today, many spectators could
easily think that because our lives are no different, there is no hope
or help in God. But that is not true! People die unpardoned and unchanged
when they will not come to Christ!
Our lives should prove there IS a balm in Gilead!
Hebrews 4:15-16
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling
of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin. [16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
BALM:
AROMATIC RESINOUS SUBSTANCE WHICH FLOWS FROM AN INCISION IN THE BARK OF
A SMALL BALSAM TREE; ALSO CONTAINS MEDICINAL PROPERTIES AND IT WAS PLENTIFUL
IN GILEAD...
Hosea 6:8
Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.
Dwelling in the very same sin-sick city was an abundance of valuable ointment,
a fragrant, soothing, softening, and healing balm that also lessens pain.
In fact, there was so much of it in Gilead they exported it! Likewise,
we have in the Lord the necessary balm for our sin and sickness; there
was an incision made in our Savior's side, was there not? The blood of
Jesus Christ cleanseth us from ALL sin! He is the Great Physician and
the only One who can truly alleviate our pain; God is willing and able
to heal but does not do so when His people forsake Him and do not trust
Him! (Ps. 103:3)
GILEAD - RAW OR RUGGED COUNTRY; HILL OF TESTIMONY
Ladies, in this life we will become wounded and suffer pain, we will all
walk through rugged country from time to time, but these are experiences
that must become a Hill of Testimony, proving that the balm of Gilead
is an adequate remedy for all ailments!
Jeremiah 46:11
Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in
vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured.
What remedies have you resorted to in order to improve your situation?
How about the raw areas in your life? What antidote are you applying to
them? Have you turned to the Lord for wisdom and grace or leaned upon
your own understanding to correct the problem? How many times have you
cast off the preaching or counsel of God's man in exchange for your own
convenient solutions?
If the remedy is not of God, it is in vain and you will not be cured!
Jeremiah 51:8
Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for
her pain, if so she may be healed.
As this verse proves, judgment comes in a moment and when it does, we
will find ourselves beyond the chance for healing! Shock will take hold
on you as it did with Jeremiah when he realized the gravity of the people's
situation. Is that where you want to end up - with the harvest past and
the summer ended and still in the same bad shape??
Isaiah 47:9
But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss
of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection
for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine
enchantments.
In closing, let us beware of acting and speaking as Babylon did; of boasting
in our own abilities and relying upon ourselves for full recovery and
health, or thinking misfortune will never touch us! Such security would
be our ruin… Self-righteousness will slow our healing. We must strive
to be tenderhearted enough to continue to submit to God's Word and find
true health for our souls. Ladies, don't wait until your circumstances
become dreadful. TAKE BALM FOR YOUR PAIN NOW! Not all will find God's
relief though it is near to each one of us, but I hope YOU do!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2002 Pamela A. Iannello
