OUR DAILY BREAD : WOUNDS THAT HEAL

[cimi]

January 8
Wednesday


WOUNDS
THAT HEAL

READ:
2 Corinthians 1:1-7
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[God] comforts us...
that we may be able to
comfort those who are
in any trouble.
__ 2 Corinthians 1:4
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Years ago I went through a time of painful emotional loss. A missionary friend who had experienced a similar situation comforted me and then offered these words: "In the future, Christ can use your emotional wounds to help heal others." Later, on a trip to visit a missionary training school, I lodged in a place where I saw a portrait of Jesus' nail-pierced hands. Below it, on a music stand, was the sheet music "He Touched Me."

Rarely have I experienced a string of circumstances that spoke so vividly to my situation. In His gracious providence, God used them to comfort and direct me. It became clear that healing flows from the wounded hands of Jesus and that our wounds can help others.

In hindsight, I have learned how God's comfort in suffering can build bridges to those in pain, Paul made this point clear: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2. Cor. 1:3-4).

Are you bringing your emotional pain to God? His spiritual healing can help you to provide comfort to others, just as through Christ my friend comforted me. __ Dennis Fisher
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~Oh, give Thine own sweet rest to me~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~That I may speak with soothing power~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A word in season, as from Thee,~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~To everyone in needful hour. __ Havergal~~~~~~~~
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Christ was broken for us
to comfort the broken among us.

*************Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Corinthians 1:1-7***********

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus
Christ by the will of God,
and Timothy our brother, to
the church of God which is
at Corinth, with all the
saints who are in all Achaia:

2 Grace to you and peace
from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of
mercies and God of all
comfort, 4 who comforts us
in all our tribulation, that
we may be able to comfort
those who are in any
trouble, with the comfort
with which we ourselves
are comforted by God. 5 For
as the sufferings of Chirst
abound in us, so our
consolation also abounds
through Christ. 6 Now if we
are afflicted, it is for your
consolation and salvation,
which is effective for
enduring the same
sufferings which we also
suffer. Or if we are
comforted, it is for your
consolation and salvation.

7 And our hope for you is
steadfast, because we know
that as you are partakers of
the sufferings, so also you
will partake of the
consolation.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Paul's relationship with the church at Corinth certainly had its ups
and downs, and 2 Corinthians reveals that turbulent partnership
in ministry. In this letter, he is both comforting to them in
their struggles (ch.1) and confrontational in the defense of his
apostleship (ch.11). Perhaps most notable, however, is that Paul
is at his most transparent in this letter, sharing from the heart his
sufferings on behalf of the gospel (11:23-33) and his thorn in the
flesh (12:7-10). __ WEC