July 14, 2019 - INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE HEART

To all of those who have been abused -

Physically, mentally, emotionally, sexually, financially:

God sees you.

He knows your pain.

He is grieved over what you have suffered or what you are suffering still.

There is no one on this earth who understands what you are going through the way Jesus does. Isaiah 53:3-4 describes what the Son of God was destined for when He came down to earth as a man:

"He was despised and rejected by men,

    a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs

    and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

    smitten by God, and afflicted."

Jesus was well-acquainted with suffering during his time on earth; in fact, he knew this was what his life as a human would lead to. Despite that, he still willingly laid aside his deity and took on flesh in order to fulfill Isaiah 53:5 -

"But he was pierced for our transgressions;

    he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

    and with his wounds we are healed."

In Jesus, we have healing, redemption, and hope for an eternity with him where there is no suffering, no hurt, no pain. If you are in a situation right now where you are being mistreated, my heart breaks for you and I earnestly pray that God rescues you from those circumstances right away. You are made in the image of God, one of his treasured creations, and thus you do not deserve the harm that is being inflicted on you. I pray that as a church, we at CEAC can be a help and a comfort to you in the midst of your suffering. I pray you remember that Jesus is standing with you in every trial and storm that you face. Most importantly, I pray that God is glorified in and through every aspect of your life, in the way you respond to those who abuse you and in the way you live your life. May God be your strength in times of great need, your refuge in the storm, and your hope for a bright future.

Abby Zamora-Cheng