A Prayer for Healing and Hope in Christ
By Alicia Searl
Bible Reading:
‘But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord, ‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’ Jeremiah 30:17
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A few years ago, I took a tumble down our neighbor’s stairs right before Thanksgiving. I guess I shouldn’t have gone over there to pick up my kiddo in socks, especially since every inch of their house is covered in wood flooring. Yet, when my little one begged me to see the super cool fort they built, and then proceeded to eagerly pull my hand (because I wasn’t moving fast enough), I lost my balance… and down I went. Ugh!
I broke my foot and fractured a few toes. I realize it could have been a lot worse, but getting around on a scooter during the holidays was not easy and unfortunately stole a bit of my “holiday cheer.” Thankfully, I received a great deal of help from family and dear friends.
Then, the morning of Christmas came and took a devious detour from my well-laid plans. After opening gifts, I could tell something was off with my oldest daughter, so I poked and prodded until she finally came clean about some things that, deep down, I had felt were going on (call it mother's intuition), but I had wanted so badly not to be true. Over a cup of coffee, she shared and bared it all, and some of that disheartening news completely crushed me. While I was thankful for the confession, I had no idea how we would move forward.
Honestly, that day was all a blur. But sadly, I do remember being angry, even resentful. I had to act like everything was fine when it wasn’t. I had to force joy when all I felt was pain. My heart was utterly shattered, but I had no other choice than to slap on a smile and entertain family that came streaming through our doors moments after my daughter shared with me some things I didn’t even know how to process.
Yet, Christ met my daughter in me in that moment. I really don’t know how, but He did. I wanted to scream and enforce discipline. I wanted to hide in a hole. I wanted to throw daggers her way. But instead, I covered her in a hug and declared that the enemy was not going to win. It gave us time to press the pause button and reflect on the reason we celebrate, knowing that Christ gives us hope for tomorrow.
As we head into another beautiful season meant to radiate joy and encompass peace, perhaps you are struggling with physical alignment, a health issue, or carrying emotional baggage and mental pain. If that is so, I want you to cling to the precious promise found in Jeremiah 30:17 today.
The prophet Jeremiah delivers a message to the distressed people of Judah, filled with fear and warning of God's judgment and wrath. Yet, the Lord, being just, holy, and righteous, still holds a promise that Israel and Judah will be released from captivity and return to their land. Moreover, the Lord declares that He will provide healing and hope. This was significant since they had been in exile and living in darkness for years, carrying both visible and unseen wounds. So, while they may have deserved wrath, God gave them hope for a new day!
Friend, we serve a God who has compassion on the hurting, sick, outcast, and afflicted. He wants us to know that He sees our hurt, understands our pain, and is acutely aware of the turmoil it causes, especially to the psyche. But He is commanding us to cling to the promise that He can and will restore us in ways that foreshadow an eternal healing that comes by being in His presence. This Christmas, will you hold on to that hope and seek Christ for the healing you truly need?
Let’s Pray:
Jehovah Rapha, God of healing, God of faithfulness and promises, I come before You today and seek Your healing hand upon my heart, mind, body, and soul. I surrender the pain, the worry, the test results, the grave news, the imminent brokenness, and look to You.
You are the God who heals a hurting nation and brings them out of captivity. The God that heals the sick of incurable diseases, raises the dead, and breathes new life into those that carry a shattered heart. You are the God who extended a promise then in Your Word, and continues to move and restore lives with healing hope today. O God, grant me the strength to lean into that promise and into Christ this season. A season that calls for us to have everlasting hope.
I ask this in Your holy name, Amen.
Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
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