He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:17-20)
One of the more gentle but powerful ways I have understood what healing might look like has come from the writings of Wendell Berry. In one of his books, the Unsettling of America, Wendell Berry talks about the word health belonging to a family of words, heal, whole, hale, hallow, holy; and conceptualises health as the restoring of connections; between body and soul, man and women, house and the earth and the household and the community around it. Gentle because this work of restoring connections is more about small, daily choices, picking up loose threads and gently reweaving them back into a fabric. Powerful because it takes the idea of healing away from the domain of healthcare alone, or miracle healings alone, and places it in the hands of us all.
I have found that, even when I feel blocked by a lack of resources, time or my imagination, there are generally always steps I can take to make space to sit and look for God, to care for creation, or to work on relationships with those in my circles of family, neighbours, Sanctuary and work colleagues. This understanding of healing creates a pathway to follow, in faith, hope and love, even if the direction or end is not clear. Ω
Reflect: What are some broken connections you see around you? Ask God to show you which is most important today, and to reveal one step you could take towards restoration and healing. Now make a commitment to take that step … and take it.
#Lent2020 © Sanctuary, 2020.
Healing
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