Crash

My Bible study friends got to see my brain in action last night. We were studying part of Isaiah 61:1, “He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted” -- keying specifically on the phrase “bind up.” The Hebrew word here means “to bind on, wrap around; bind up as a wound, bandage, cover, envelop, enclose.” And the author of the study painted a mental picture of Jesus with his keeping his nail-scarred hands, keeping pressure on the wounds of our heart to keep them from bleeding.

By this time, my brain was already whirring and my one friend asked, “You look confused. What’s your crazy thought?” (Obviously, my reputation precedes me.)

I answered, “Isn’t there a movie where there’s someone who’s been hit by a car? And they can’t move it because if they do she’ll bleed out?” This seeming non-sequitor threw us all into a ponderous frenzy, and it was the light bulb in my sister’s head that went off first. It’s a scene from the movie Signs.

One of my fellow studiers observed, “That’s a bit more violent that the picture here on the page.” And it is…it’s violent, intense, and irreversible. But when I think of times that have rended my heart and life in two, that’s the picture I get.

In many ways, Jesus is my car crash. Both from the standpoint that his presence keeps my wounds from bleeding out, but also from the standpoint that he crashed into my life and I’ll never be able to disentangle myself from the wreckage.

“Wham!” …forever changed.

I don’t know that I can answer “why” – why does he allow me to get wounded, why did he choose me to crash into… But I do know that his presence keeps me going, and I pray that my wrecked, broken life can inspire the faith of others.