The Balm of Gilead – Jesus
Ray Pritchard
“Is there no balm in Gilead?” (Jeremiah 8:22).
In three different
places the Old Testament mentions the “balm” or healing ointment that comes from Gilead,
the mountainous region east of the Jordan River.
When Joseph’s brothers
conspired against him in Genesis 37, they sold him to a caravan of Ishmaelites
from the region of Gilead carrying a load of gum, balm, and myrrh (verse 25).
Jeremiah 46:11
mentions the healing balm of Gilead.
“11 Go up to Gilead, and take balm,
O virgin daughter of Egypt!
In vain you have used many medicines;
there is no healing for you.”
O virgin daughter of Egypt!
In vain you have used many medicines;
there is no healing for you.”
Jeremiah 8:22 poses a
question to the sinning people of Judah:
“Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Is there no physician there?
A well-known
African-American spiritual applies the words of the text this way:
“There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin sick soul.”
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin sick soul.”
Jesus is truly the “balm of Gilead” for all
the hurting people of the world.
When J. C. Philpot
preached on Jeremiah 8:22 in 1852, he pointed out that God’s grace is always
greater than our sin:
“There is more in the balm to heal than there is in guilt
to wound; for there is more in grace to save than there is in sin to destroy.”
If we know Jesus,
we’re going to heaven because His grace is far greater than our sin.
His blood is the balm
that heals the deepest wounds of sin.
When we have fallen
hard, he lifts us up and restores our soul.
Is there no Balm in
Gilead? Yes, there is.
Jesus is the Name
that makes the wounded whole.
“Blessed Lord, you specialize in healing the
broken places of life. Speak your healing word today and we will be made whole.
Amen.”
Talk to the God of the
universe and let Him work in your behalf.
He says, “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I
will counsel you with my eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8).
Ask God to show you
what to do. Pray the following prayer:
“Heavenly Father,
I admit that I am a
sinner and my sins have separated me from You. I now want to turn away from my
past sinful life and begin a new life with You. Please forgive me.
You know the situation
I am in right now. I lay everything at Your feet, fully believing that You are
in complete control.
I now receive Your
Son, Jesus Christ as my Savior, my Master and my Lord. I believe and confess
that Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and rose from the dead.
I want to receive all
that Jesus Christ has provided for me as my Savior. Your Word
says, ‘Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
I believe and confess
that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes unto
the Father, but by Him.
Lord Jesus, I pray
and ask You, to come into my heart and be Lord of my life. I thank You that You
have given me eternal life. I take Your promise that by Your stripes I am
healed.
Heavenly Father,
thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit Who is in me now. Thank you that Your
Word says I am born again.
I surrender my life
to You. I promise to study Your Word – the Bible.
Use me for Your glory.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
“There
Is a Balm in Gilead”
Refrain:There is a balm in Gilead
to make the wounded whole,
there is a balm in Gilead
to heal the sin-sick soul.
1 Sometimes I feel
discouraged
and think my work's in vain,
but then the Holy Spirit
revives my soul again. Refrain
and think my work's in vain,
but then the Holy Spirit
revives my soul again. Refrain
2 If you cannot preach
like Peter,
if you cannot pray like Paul,
you can tell the love of Jesus
and say, "He died for all." Refrain
if you cannot pray like Paul,
you can tell the love of Jesus
and say, "He died for all." Refrain
Afro-American Spiritual
In the Old Testament, Gilead was the name of the mountainous region east
of the Jordan River. This region was known for having skillful physicians and
an
ointment made from the gum of a tree particular to that area. Many believed
that this balm had miraculous powers to heal the body.
In the book of Jeremiah, God tells the people of Israel that though many
believe in the mysterious healing power of this balm, they can’t trust in those
powers for spiritual healing or as a relief of their oppression.
He reminds them that He is ultimately in control, and only He can
relieve their suffering.
It is Him we are called to turn to in our times of trial for healing and
comfort. We sing this song with that assurance: no matter our hardships or
supposed shortcomings, Jesus loves us enough to take our suffering upon Himself.
http://www.hymnary.org/text/sometimes_i_feel_discouraged_spiritual
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POSTS:
I AM THE GOD THAT HEALETH THEE
http://puricarefiles.blogspot.com/2016/08/i-am-god-that-healeth-thee-you-are-god.html.
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Power-Packed Prayers God Always Answers!
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How to Walk in the Divine Promises
of Health and Healing
Taken from “Balm of Gilead” by Keep Believing Ministries
jesus.org
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