Phrases to Experience and Embrace

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor, He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Isaiah 61:1 NKJV

Jesus is whispering these words to me this morning. I must see Him as the only qualified One to carry out each of these truths in my own life before I can direct others to Him for the same purpose. I use to read through this passage with little more than an appreciation for the poetic sound. The phrases meant very little to me. The intended hope that was housed within their words remained unknown to me. But that began to change several years ago. Slowly but surely He is causing the phrases to come alive to me. Each one is beginning to resonate in me as I experience their full impact. He is not necessarily taking them in order but He is individualizing them for me.


When I read “to proclaim liberty to the captives” I immediately recall His invitation for me to step away from a legalistic, performance based way of living my Christian life. I learned the truth and it really did set me free! Sure, there were fears and tears along the way but the desire for freedom and the assurance of it bringing me into a more intimate, personal relationship with God far outweighed the emotions. It birthed in me the passion to share with others how they too can be free. Now I see that phrase and it brings me joy because God has taken me from captivity to liberty!

A harder phrase to embrace is the healing of the brokenhearted. I see it as a message that is being birthed in me for the purpose of ministering to others. Right now the healing is a slow process that is hard to detect at times and the brokenheartedness is profound. It is painful and confusing in so many ways. Good sounding cliches and bumper-sticker phrases will not suffice. I praise God for the people, books, and music that are powerfully ministering to me. But I am acutely aware of God’s personal, direct involvement each step of the way. When His healing is complete I will be equipped to look hurting individuals in the eye and understand like never before the depth of their pain. As with a broken arm, it does not matter how a heart is broken….pain is pain. I look forward to the day my heart mending is complete and a message of hope and healing is mine to proclaim.

Father, it hurts. I rest in the fact that Your healing hands have not left me for one minute. My hope is in You. Amen.