April 20, 2024

Today, as I write this, is the 29th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. It is always a hard day for those of us who lost friends and family in that horrible act of domestic terrorism. 168 people died, including 19 children. We lost Jill Randolph, a precious, 27-year-old young lady who was a part of our church and whose sister was our oldest child’s first babysitter. Every year when I see the pictures again from that fateful day and hear the stories of tragedy and sorrow and resilience and courage, I always find myself asking the question, “How do you make it through such overwhelming grief and suffering?” The answer is always the same. Only with God’s help. He is not just the Lord over our physical afflictions; He is Lord over our past wounds, our present sorrow, and our personal sins. He is Healer, Comforter, Redeemer, and Restorer. He is Lord over ALL.
That’s why Jesus took the approach He did in healing the paralytic. He wanted to reveal that there was more to Him than just the ability to heal bodies. So He started by healing that part of the paralytic that the people COULDN’T see. His sin. As He pronounced the man clean, there were those who struggled to believe that Jesus had the power to forgive sins. So He proved to them that He could heal what they couldn’t see by showing them He was fully capable of healing what they could see. The miracle of a paralytic walking was an outward expression of what had happened on the inside. The man didn’t just have a new set of legs. He had a New Heart. That’s because Jesus is Lord over all.
Come today with whatever your need may be. You may be grieving as many of us in Oklahoma are over a loss that you’ve had. You may be wondering how in the world you can keep going. But you can. And you will. Jesus will help you. Some of you may still be struggling with pain from your past. Pain you haven’t told to anyone. Pain you don’t want to think about but can never quite escape. I want to encourage you to bring that pain to the God who was there as you went through it and the God who can help you close those wounds that still bleed from time to time. He is the Healer of those damaged emotions. Bring your fears. Bring your broken body. Bring your sorrow. Bring your shame. Jesus is still a Comforter, Healer, Redeemer, and Restorer. No matter whether your hurt is on the inside or outside, Jesus has you covered. He is Lord over all. That’s God’s Word for you today.