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TEXT: PSALM 147:3 Our theme for the year is Choose Life. It’s an invitation. Jesus says, "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness" John 10:10 (NLT). What an amazing text! Jesus has a plan and a purpose for your life. The chief end of God is to give you abundant life. But it doesn’t just happen. It isn’t a random kind of thing. We need to be restored and set free. And in order for that to happen we first need to identify and admit our need for restoration. Which brings us to today’s message . . . The Broken Made Whole. Listen to this extract from The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis:
And being very tired and having nothing inside him, he felt so sorry for himself that the tears rolled down his cheeks. What put a stop to all this was a sudden fright. Shasta discovered that someone or somebody was walking beside him. It was pitch dark and he could see nothing. And the Thing (or Person) was going so quietly that he could hardly hear any footfalls. What he could hear was breathing. His invisible companion seemed to breathe on a very large scale . . . If the horse had been any good - or if he had known how to get any good out of the horse - he would have risked everything on a breakaway and a wild gallop. But he knew he couldn’t make that horse gallop. So he went on at a walking pace and the unseen companion walked and breathed beside him. At last he could bear it no longer. "Who are you?" he said, scarcely above a whisper. "One who has waited long for you to speak," said the Thing. Its voice was not loud, but very large and deep . . . "Oh please - please do go away. What harm have I ever done you? Oh, I am the unluckiest person in the whole world!" Once more he felt the warm breath of the Thing on his hand and face. "There," it said, "that is not the breath of a ghost. Tell me your sorrows." Shasta was a little reassured by the breath: so he told how he had never known his real father or mother and had been brought up sternly by the fisherman. And then he told the story of his escape and how they were chased by lions and forced to swim for their lives; and of all their dangers in Tashbaan and about his night among the tombs and how the beasts howled at him out of the desert. And he told about the heat and thirst of their desert journey and how they were almost at their goal when another lion chased them and wounded Aravis. And also, how very long it was since he had had anything to eat. "I do not call you unfortunate," said the Large Voice. "Don’t you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?" said Shasta. "There was only one lion," said the Voice. "What on earth do you mean? I’ve just told you there were at least two the first night, and . . ." "There was only one; but he was swift of foot." "How do you know?" "I was the lion." And as Shasta gasped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued. "I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you." "Then it was you who wounded Aravis?" "It was I." "But what for?" "Child," said the Voice, "I am telling you your story, not hers." Every one of us has a story . . . the story of our life. What’s your story? What are the scenes, large and small, which have unfolded down through the years? What are the joys that you’ve experienced? What are the trials that you’ve experienced? You’ve lived through quite a story so far, haven’t you? You’ve seen many things, heard many things, felt many things . . . There have been good times and bad times. People have said nice things and nasty things about you. You’ve done things that make you proud and things that make you ashamed. You’ve laughed until you cried. You’ve cried until you were spent. And it’s all stored in your heart. Now imagine God walking quietly beside you. You sense Him. You know He’s near. You hear His breathing. And He says, "Tell me your sorrows." What would you say . . . ? Everything that’s precious can be broken. And that includes our lives. The mind can be broken, the will can be broken, and the heart can be broken. Are you broken in some way? We probably all are; aren’t we? Is your life fragmented? Are their sorrows stashed away in the recesses of your heart that have never been healed? Would you love to have the pieces put together? Would you love to be made whole? Here’s the good news. In the words of Isaiah 61:1 God has sent Jesus ". . . to comfort the brokenhearted . . ." (NLT). Christ came not only to forgive you but also to heal you. He wants to take the fractured parts of your life and put them back together. He wants to reintegrate the broken bits. He wants to pick up the pieces - make you whole - make you one. Psalm 147:3 says, "He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds" (NLT). Let’s pause right here. Jesus wants to heal your heart - not the heart of the person sitting next to you - your heart. Jesus can heal your heart. How do you feel about that? What do you think about that . . . ? Jesus heals the brokenhearted. Does this stir up hope . . . cynicism . . . fear? Once again, imagine God walking quietly beside you. You sense Him. You know He’s near. You hear His breathing. And He says, "Will you let me heal you?" What will you say . . . ? If you said yes . . . if you want Christ to heal your broken heart, then there are three things you need to do: 1. Invoke Christ’s presence.
If you want to be healed, you must call out to Christ. In Psalm 119:145 the psalmist says, "I pray with all my heart; answer me, Lord!" (NLT). You must summon Him. In Jeremiah 33:3 God says, "Call to me and I will answer you . . ." (NIV). "Call to me . . ." Do you want your memories healed? Call out to Christ. Do you want your emotions healed? Call out to Christ. Do you want your thoughts healed? Call out to Christ. If you want to be healed, you must call out to Christ. In Psalm 119:145 the psalmist says, "I pray with all my heart; answer me, Lord!" (NLT). You must summon Him. In Jeremiah 33:3 God says, "Call to me and I will answer you . . ." (NIV). "Call to me . . ." Do you want your memories healed? Call out to Christ. Do you want your emotions healed? Call out to Christ. Do you want your thoughts healed? Call out to Christ. If you want Christ to heal your broken heart, you must secure a meeting place with Him. You must give yourself back over to Him. You must come under His authority. You must make a connection. You must establish a forum - an environment - a safe place in which the broken places of your heart can surface. Here’s a simple prayer to invoke Christ’s presence: Christ, please help me draw near to You and You to me. Envelop me in your presence. I receive your Lordship and accept your right to rule my life. "Search me, O God, and know my heart" Psalm 139:23. I am totally yours - body, mind and spirit, and I give you my heart - all of my heart - including the broken parts of my heart. For I know You are the One who has made my heart (cf. Psalm 33:15), filled my heart (cf. Psalm 4:7), instructs my heart (cf. Psalm 16:7), probes my heart (cf. Psalm 17:3), sustains my heart (cf. Psalm 105:15), knows the secrets of my heart (cf. Psalm 44:21), and gives me the desires of my heart when I delight in You (cf. Psalm 37:4). Christ, please help me to draw near to You and You to me. Thank You. Amen. 2. Invite Christ in.
Once you’ve invoked Christ’s presence, you invite Him in. You give Him unrestricted access to your heart. You give Him permission to move freely in your life. You ask Him to shine His light in your heart (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:6). You ask Him to come into the memories, emotions, thoughts, and broken places in you. And you ask Him to clear any confusion, and comfort you at the point where you need assurance. Once you’ve invoked Christ’s presence, you invite Him in. You give Him unrestricted access to your heart. You give Him permission to move freely in your life. You ask Him to shine His light in your heart (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:6). You ask Him to come into the memories, emotions, thoughts, and broken places in you. And you ask Him to clear any confusion, and comfort you at the point where you need assurance. In Revelation 3:20 Christ says, "If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in . . ." (NLT). You need to open the door. The broken parts of you can’t be made whole unless you invite Christ in. The only way you’ll hear the healing Word of Christ is by inviting Him in. Open the door and He will come in. For when you open the door He’ll bring the words of love, kindness, comfort, and counsel that you need. When that happens - when Christ comes in - there are three things you must do: Renounce your sin. Ask forgiveness for any and all sin in your life. Psalm 19:12 says, "Cleanse me from these hidden faults" (NLT). Ask God to cleanse you by the blood of Christ. Sin diverts and distracts you from God’s purpose for your life. It harms and hinders the heart. When you renounce your sin, you renounce any and all claims the devil may have on your life. Receive Christ’s healing. Christ cures those who have need of healing (cf. Luke 9:11). The Scriptures are very clear on this point. Christ heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (cf. Psalm 147:3). Praise the Lord! Malachi 4:2 says, "But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture" (NLT). So on th authority of God’s Word: Receive Christ’s healing. Resist the Devil. James 4:7 says, "Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you" (NLT). In Christ’s name, tell the enemy to get lost. The devil will lie. He will tell you that you are soiled goods, addicted, not worthy to be set free. Don’t listen to him. Reject any claim he may have over you. In the name of Jesus say, "I command you to flee." Here’s a simple prayer to invite Christ in:
Christ, I’m opening the door, I’m inviting You in. I invite You into the broken places within me. "Please listen and answer me . . ." Psalm 55:2. I give You unrestricted access to my heart. Shine Your light into the shadows and bring my brokenness into the place of assurance. Make me aware of what’s really going on in my heart. ". . . examine my heart and my mind" Psalm 26:2. Clear my confusion. "Create in me a clean heart . . ." Psalm 51:10. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness (cf. 1 John 1:9). Bring the words of love, kindness, comfort or counsel that I need in order to be whole. Hide your righteousness in my heart. For You are ". . . the strength of my heart . . ." Psalm 73:26. Christ, I’m opening the door, I’m inviting You in. Thank You. Amen. 3. Imitate Christ’s life.
Once you’ve invoked Christ’s presence and invited Him in, you must imitate His life. Healing prayer isn’t an instant fix. There are no shortcuts to slow and steady growth. Healing prayer does nothing more than clear the way for future progress. Once you’ve been healed, you must carry on with Christ. Once your heart is tender and whole, you must live for Him. And how do you do that? By imitating Him. Philippians 2:1-7 says, "Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave . . ." (NLT). Once you’ve invoked Christ’s presence and invited Him in, you must imitate His life. Healing prayer isn’t an instant fix. There are no shortcuts to slow and steady growth. Healing prayer does nothing more than clear the way for future progress. Once you’ve been healed, you must carry on with Christ. Once your heart is tender and whole, you must live for Him. And how do you do that? By imitating Him. Philippians 2:1-7 says, "Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave . . ." (NLT). There you have it. John Eldredge says that "As long as we have these unhealed places within us, these rifts in the soul, we will find it next to impossible to live in freedom and victory."He’s right. Brokenness keeps many people from freedom and victory. And it may be what’s keeping you from freedom and victory. Do you want life - fullness of life? Then ask Christ to heal your broken heart. Invoke His presence, invite Him in, and imitate His life. The healing of your heart will clear the way for future progress. You may heap great demands on yourself, discipline yourself mercilessly, hold onto a set of principles, or work harder than anyone else, but these things will never set your heart free. What you need is healing. You need the broken made whole. You need to "Make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed" Hebrews 12:13 (NASV). (L. Murray, 2006) |
