This morning during my lectio divina time there were 2 phrases that stood out from the Matthew passage- “Jesus withdrew to an isolated place….. he cured their sick.”

When Jesus received the horribly sad news that his dear friend John was murdered/beheaded – he withdrew to be alone. Lord, help me to do this. When things are hard or sad, help me first retreat to be alone and to meet with You. I know my tendency is to text or call friends or family. That is good to not do life alone and to share sorrow with those who love me. But I want to do that after I reached out to the one who created my aching heart.

The passage goes onto say that the crowds followed Jesus, desperate to connect with him, desperate to have him touch their sick loved ones. They were desperate for healing. Even in his own grief/sorrow, he had pity on them and healed their sick. I could interrupt that as even in my own sorrow to still be a healer/conduit of love, be a wounded healer. And true in some contexts that is true but today I needed the reminder that I am not the ultimate healer. True I can be a conduit of God’s healing love and power but I am not the source of healing. It is also a reminder to me to bring “my sick” to Jesus and let him do the healing. “my sick”- those whom I love that I am worried over the health of their relationships- to bring them in prayer to Jesus. I can’t heal them but I can pray. I want to daily spend time in an isolated place to bring my own wounds and my loved ones to Jesus.