Hurt: January 22, 2014

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY JANUARY 22, 2014.

HURT

DEFINITION:

To cause bodily injury or pain; to offend or grieve, damaged or offended.

SCRIPTURE:

They have struck me, but I was not hurt: They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. Proverbs 23:35.

They shall not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:9

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

When we are in pain or hurting, we may question whether God cares or even knows what we are going through. As believers we should remember that our God is omniscient. In other words, He knows all things. No action, no pain, no hurt, no person, no situation --- past, present or future --- is hidden from Him.

The Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought of every believer. He has perfect knowledge. He knows us intimately and fully understands exactly what we need. And even more important, God’s love and concern for us does not change, even if our pain has resulted from our own sinful actions.

Let us look at an example from the scriptures when Jesus met and initiated a conversation, much to His disciple’s dismay, with a Samaritan woman. She was a social outcast and was hurting badly. He went out of His way to meet her. Jews did not associate with Samaritans and in fact, avoided traveling through their region. But God does not adhere to man’s rules or prejudices. Unlike the Jews, Jesus did not try to avoid Samaria. If one is hurting, He will be there. He brings a message of hope and new life to all who will listen and believe.

This Samaritan woman must have felt worthless, abandoned and unloved after being divorced 5 times. But Jesus knew her pain and heartache. We all have emotional baggage that weighs us down and causes us hurt and pain, but Jesus is always there for us because He knows when we have deep hurts.

But the story of the Samaritan woman does not end there. Jesus drew out the details of her situation in a nonjudgmental way so that she would be receptive to His offer of forgiveness and a relationship with God. He understood what she needed. She needed love, to be valued, and acceptance. Jesus knows our hurts just like He knew hers and He is offering us daily healing and restoration.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Deuteronomy 33:12.

The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders.

PRAYER:

Help me daily to accept Your love. Help me to submit to the Holy Spirit’s transforming work in my life so that I will be a useful vessel that You can use in this needy and sinful world. Take away my prejudices that would keep me from reaching out to those who are hurting.