A WORD on Wednesday-VULNERARY

A few years ago i had the responsibility to write a devotional series for an event.  Each one is in a "word of the day" format.  I ran across it the other day and decided to do a little tweaking and share one each wednesday.

Today's word is VULNERARY

Psalm 147:3

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Hosea 6:1

Come, let us return to the LORD
For He has torn us, but He will heal us;
He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.

 vulnerary • \VUL-nuh-rair-ee\ adjective

        : used for or useful in healing wounds

Example Sentence:  Aloe vera is a vulnerary plant whose extract is widely used to soothe and heal burns.

Wounds.  they hurt.  cause all manner of problems-not just for the wounded, but often for anyone who just happens to be around.  some wounds are hidden.  known only to the soul who hurts in silence and solitude.  they have immeasurable causes.  some are accidents, some are intentional, some we ignore, some just never seem to heal. but the promise still stands.  Healing comes to those who allow the vunerary balm of God's presence to carefully wrap the wound in His love.  

When Aaron was about 4 we had a little accident.  Looking for something to cook for supper, i opened the refrigerator freezer then decided to pull something out of the big freezer in the laundry room.  Aaron spied a left over chocolate easter bunny though.  He asked for it but didn't get it.  it was almost supper time!  i ran out to the freezer and plowed through the frozen vegetables and thought, "that kid's trying to get that bunny."  i ran back in found the refrigerator freezer open the bunny on the counter and a knife beside it.  Aaron was nowhere in sight.  my heart dropped and i thought i would throw up.  I ran through the house calling him.  His tiny voice answered through the locked bathroom door.  I tried to calmly tell him he had to let me in.  He unlocked the door crying "I cut my finger off!!" "It's cut off, mommy! Go get my daddy!"  i was shaking.  He had wrapped his hand in a bathcloth and I could see some blood.  I don't do blood too well.  

"Let me see it son."  

"NO, I need my daddy."

"Daddy's not here, you need to let me see it."

"No. It's cut off. go get my daddy.  Please don't spank me."

"It's ok son, let me see it."

Very slowly and reluctantly he held his hand out to me.  And very slowly and hesitantly, I unwrapped his sweet little hand.  I honestly thought his finger was going to be gone.  Thankfully, it was still there and not nearly as bad as i thought.  yes, there was a little wound.  a small little cut.  with tears in both our eyes (mine from thankfulness and relief) i held my 4 year old so tight.  Again, he said, "please don't spank me" and that was the last thing on my mind.  even though he had been disobedient and caused this wound himself.  so gently i took his little hand and washed off the blood, put some ointment on his cut and put a spiderman band-aid over it.  he sat in my lap for awhile and kept saying "Momma I'm sorry."  I have no idea what we ate for supper.  it didn't matter.  we had all our fingers. 

today i am thankful that in the midst of my hurts and wounds, I have a Father who hurts with me, binds my wounds and wraps them in His love and grace.  He's not mean.  Even when it's my own fault.  When i finally let Him see it, trust Him not to hurt me more, then and only then is He able to fix it.  He is able and willing, but i have to trust him.