Healing Bruises and Stripes

Greetings,

      We just returned from greeting a military flight arriving at BWI Marshall Airport on this Good Friday early morning.  Of course, a central theme of Good Friday is the suffering and death of Jesus on my behalf – he freely, willingly chose to die for my sins.  “But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

      With no intention of being sacrilegious, and certainly understanding the unique nature of Jesus’ sacrifice for me and all of the people, I am constantly aware of the sacrifice being made for me, for us by our men and women in the military.  It is a sacrifice which they have volunteered to make.  I do not know if their “bruises” and “stripes” have actually brought healing to us or not.  I certainly hope that there has been a positive result from the deaths, severe woundings, and traumas to the minds and spirits of our willing military personnel.  But I must confess that I would have been much happier if the government had followed the advice of myself and so many others as to other ways to protect our national safety from terrorists and the agents of evil.  And I am greatly distressed by the problems and the sometimes lack of support for those who are suffering from the effects of their service and sacrifices.  Even the “healthy” returnees suffer mental stress which often has a long term negative impact on their lives. 

      This Good Friday and Holy Saturday, in particular, I urge you to pray for all of those in our military, that they may be kept safe, that their sufferings, of body, mind and spirit, may be healed, and that they and their families may quickly return to a positive and productive way of life in peace and in the certainty of Jesus’ love and blessings for their lives.  Pray that even as Jesus descended to the lowest pit of Sheol during this time of his own death, so even now Jesus will be with those who are living in the hell of the wars we, the world, have created.  Pray that all may be restored to their families and that we all may work for and live in justice and peace through our only Lord and Savior, Jesus who died that we might be healed, now and forever.

Yours & His,

DED