Scripture: Jeremiah 17:14
Heal me, LORD, and I’ll be healed. Save me and I’ll be saved, for you are my heart’s desire.
Thought for the Day: N. K. Jemisin is, among other things, a SciFi author. She writes:
Reconciliation is part of the healing process, but how can there be healing when the wounds are still being inflicted.
The Prophet is rather ruthless in this chapter, ruthless toward those who trust in human power and those who are corrupt and gain wealth in ways that injure others. In those situations, is healing possible? It’s one thing to want the healing or say you want the healing, and something very different to get to that place where healing is possible. Too often those in power shrug their shoulders unaware of why there cannot be healing and reconciliation. They remain oblivious to how their foot remains on the neck of the one with whom they desire a healed relationship. Almost all of us have some sort of blinder where we are unaware of how we have (or continue to) injure others. To remove those blinders takes a great deal of self-reflection and a willingness to listen to others without feeling defensive. To do so requires a lot of spiritual strength.
Prayer: Forgive me, Merciful One, wherever I have brought pain or injury to another. Make me fully aware of any underlying motivation that may cause me to repeat this unhealthy behavior. Provide me both a self-awareness and the humility to confess when that self-awareness reveals sinfulness. It is never easy, but it is the only way toward reconciliation and healing. Amen.
