While
we are easily inclined to doubt the love or power of God to help us when we are
children, there is a better way of looking at these things, difficult as it may
be to accept. Consider that your life in Jesus Christ would present this glorious
declaration to the devil: “What you intended for harm[1], to the destruction of a precious little child, God has taken hold
of for good[2], to reveal his glorious power to heal the broken hearts of children[3], and fully restore them to the image and likeness of Jesus Christ[4].”
Here
is how I apply this to myself: In all the ways that Satan lured people into
hurting and harming me as a child; in all the ways he led people to reject me,
demean me, speak evil of me, and trample my little soul underfoot, God can now
put on eternal and public display that he is able to fully heal any and every
wound the evil one inflicts on any of God’s children[5]. Everything Satan did to show that he had power to inflict pain on
a little child, God now overcomes so that he can show Satan, demons, angels,
and all humanity, that he is able to take such a messed up, wounded, sinful
little creature as me, and present me before himself as holy and blameless in
his sight[6].
The
message is simply this: When Jesus Christ takes hold of anyone’s life, no
matter how hurt, abused, and sinful we have been, and no matter how much we
have hurt and abused others, he turns us into a trophy of his grace that shows
everyone that God can make good of anything whatsoever that Satan has ruined,
abused and corrupted with sin.
This
is the most beautiful before-and-after picture we could ever see. The “before”
picture says, “Look at what Satan has done to ruin this man or this woman from
the time they were children!” The “after” picture says, “Now look at what God
has done to rescue, repair and transform this man or this woman into the
likeness of the very Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord!” The difference between
Satan’s trophy case and God’s trophy case is that the devil’s trophy case looks
like a Nazi concentration camp, while God’s trophy case looks like the most
wonderful family dinner one could ever imagine.
Now,
it may not be altogether apparent in this lifetime who is still abused, broken
and crippled by Satan’s strategic attacks on their souls, and who is being
healed, restored and forgiven as the adopted sons of God. I simply want all
those who are drawn to Jesus Christ to understand that every memory of abuse
put in God’s hands will come to feel like he has transformed your trauma into a
trophy.
If
you are struggling to feel the love of God because the abuses of life leave
little room in your day for anything except pain, come to Jesus[7] with us who have already felt his healing touch. When Jesus is done
with us, we will be like a woman who forgets all her labor pains in her delight
to hold her beautiful little child[8]. Be assured that, from God’s side, he already sings over his little
ones with healing lullabies of joy[9]. Let the soothing sound of his love songs bring you to sing a new
song[10] that fills you with joy forever[11].
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