May 22

“He heals the brokenhearted–and binds up their wounds!” — Ps 147:3

It is said that when one branch of a tree is bruised, the whole tree begins to pour of its life toward the wounded place, to restore it. It is in this manner, that Christ heals His people when bruised by sorrow. “Blessed are those who mourn–for they shall be comforted.”

There are fields where once fierce battles raged, great armies contended, and blood flowed–but where now the birds sing sweet songs, in summer days flowers bloom, meadows are green with waving grass, and ripening harvests bend. So there are homes where once sorrow’s dark clouds hung, tears flowed, and cries of grief were heard–but where now joyous songs ring out, and glad faces smile. God’s comfort has healed the brokenhearted home.

There are many ways in which God restores sorrow’s devastation. He sends new blessings instead of the old ones, which he took away, as new flowers come in place of those that fade. He hides a blessing, too, in the very heart of the sorrow itself!

Grief is like the cloud which comes with its dark portents, into the blue summer sky. It blots out the blue, and fills the air with terrors. The lightnings flash, the thunders roll; but out of the bosom of the blackness–pours the soft rain. So sorrow’s cloud comes with dark, portentous aspect; but it empties blessings upon the life, thus carrying in itself–its own power of restoration.