Posted on 03/11/2021 9:55:15 AM PST by Mrs. Warrior
I once sponsored a support group for abused woman ; at the first meeting I started off with the question “Why am I here?” To break the ice, I offered my reason first and answered “because I was once abused, and the hands that wounded me and held me down against my will are not the hands to look at. In my recovery the loving and kind hands of Jesus came to me like the good Samaritan. When Jesus offered His hands they were not manicured hands of a king on a high throne, they were the carpenters hands they were hands pierced by the savagery of roman soldiers, but yet they were tender and compassionate and held healing not harm.
But God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but be saved. (John 3:16) We love Him, because He first loved us.
The next important step was to share, to the extent they were comfortable to do so, what the hurt was and to recognize that hurt followed by the hardest imaginable but needful thing; to be able to get rid of the hold of bitterness and begin to heal by forgiving the one who hurt them. To do this one has to let go of having to carry the burden and effects of another's act of injury. Jesus is able to take away the hurt by suffering in our stead. He was savaged so we could be saved our Savior sought us and we are secured by taking the hand that is offered to us with free will. By His stripes (wounds) we are healed.
The next step was to find out by asking several questions: What makes you happy? What are your talents and gifts? Does God love you enough to want you to love yourself? Then we discussed how to learn to respect yourself and not allow the wound to be yours, but the Lord's. Then we would have a group prayer and hug, we were not just seekers, but sisters.
Once healing was found and forgiveness granted both to the offender and to oneself, it was time to go out and along the journey share with other wounded women.
For me I find that in my journey God has led me to love a wounded nation. To see Americans who have had greedy hands steal their right to have a leader who loves them. Rather, hands who lust for the wealth and control of America seem to have prevailed.
Recently at a Trump rally, people said they loved him. President Trump was visibly moved. He stated that his staff could not find an instance where crowds declared their love for a president or candidate.
In a courtship it was a nostalgic time of swinging on the front porch while Momma was watching from the window with a yard stick to measure the distance between the couple. (Meanwhile Papa was carefully cleaning his shotgun...). Only when the question of the suitors intentions was satisfactorily answered was the arrangement allowed to progress. Do you want to hold her hand and heart forever? If the answer was “yes”, then the young man could reach for her hand without getting smacked by the measuring stick.
God told husbands to love your wives as Christ loved the church to keep her from getting wrinkled, to iron out the differences, and when women know they are loved for their whole person, they will in turn love and respect their husband and honor them with their heart and hands of love.
Refugees and migrants who have no home eagerly reach for America with hopes of finding opportunity. On their journey here woman and girls have been raped, and other countries have lusted for American wealth.
When you work hard and drop your sweat on the ground and earn a wage, when you go buy your home and sit down to eat with your family around the table and bow you head and give thanks to God for providing for you and invite others to share your meal with you then in the self respect you have become an American!
1) I sometimes forget how blessed I am to have been born in America.
2) I sometimes forget how blessed I am that Jesus saved me, a sinner and a blasphemer.
3) I sometimes forget it is my duty to help others heal with the grace God has healed me with.
4) I am here but for a moment, soon (and very soon) eternity with my Savior will stretch out before me.
Psalm 82
God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
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