Complete Joy – December 19, 2023

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me . . . He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.
Isaiah 61:1

Complete Joy

There is great joy when what is broken can be mended and made new. The glass Christmas ornament, which was handed down over generations, falls from the tree and shatters. But it’s not just swept up and thrown in the trash. Someone takes the time to piece it back together, something that seemed impossible, and now it’s better.

Jesus, your Savior-King, is also the miraculous mender. His expertise is mending broken hearts and souls shattered by sin and its devastating impact on our lives. Even when no one else knows your brokenness and pain, your Savior knows. Even when it seems impossible to pick up the pieces, Jesus doesn’t consider you too broken to fix. He binds up your broken heart with his love. His forgiveness mends the once-shattered relationship with God. That is why he came.

The Lord sent, literally deployed, his Son on an intense, feet-on-the-ground mission. The Savior-King comes, not riding high up in a chariot. His feet are on the ground, and he’s getting right down to where the brokenhearted are stooped over. He goes all the way to where people are cowering in dark dungeons. He comes and opens the prison doors and sets them free. Jesus met people in the streets, under the darkness of night, in their homes, wherever they were. He spoke words that powerfully healed broken hearts. He proclaimed forgiveness and set free consciences that were held captive by guilt. He declared peace and pardon to those still trapped in the darkness of their past.

Jesus meets you in a real and powerful way through his Word. His words recorded in the Bible have as much power as when they were spoken face-to-face. His words of healing, forgiveness, and assuring love still hold the power to bind your broken heart. His proclamation of forgiveness still sets your conscience free from guilt. His declaration of peace and pardon scatter the darkness of the past. He still comes through his Word to mend, to set free, and to bring complete joy!

Prayer:
Come, King Jesus, to bind my broken heart and fill it with joy. Amen.