Does time really heal all wounds? Are notions like "time heals all wounds" or "time puts an end to tears" truly credible? The world we know often tries to cure wounds and find ultimate healing, even for the most severe ones. But what if some wounds are so deep that no amount of time or distance can resolve them? Most of the time, people try patches or manage suffering and pain with medication. This is not to discount the benefits of modern medicine and science. For these things are God’s common grace given to the world.
Many kinds of catastrophes can produce horrendous wounds under the Sun, and we will have our own firsthand experiences. On the one hand, some might experience as a community the severity of war, famine, or even persecution. But on the other hand, some might experience devastating events on a personal level that shatter our friendships, family or even our relationship with God for a period of time. When we face such situations, we are astonished by what has happened and ask how it could be. We start searching for answers and solutions to our wounds.
Lamentations 2 reveals a wound only God can heal, and it is a very deep one. The weeping prophet in Lamentations depicts a wound as deep as the sea, one no one on earth can heal (Lam 2:13). This wound seems so severe, almost incurable, and it comes from the judgment of God’s divine anger (Lam 2:1). This picture reflects Genesis 3, and reminds us in such circumstances of the incurable nature of our fallen condition and impending death. So, who can heal your heart? What can deliver us from our present situation?
The Gospel of grace speaks loudly into the deepest wounds we may experience on this earth. It challenges our posture toward God, our neighbour, and even our enemies. The Cross of Christ is the greatest expression of where God’s love and wrath collided, where justice and mercy met, and where we find our only hope in life and death. Paul captures the summit of God’s cure for this deep wound in Romans 8:18-39. Falling into God's hands without Christ is dreadful (Jn 3:30-36). But when we are held in Christ's arms, nothing will ever separate us from God's love, whether now or in the world to come.
Scripture reveals deep insights into God’s divine nature, and Lamentations encourages us that we can still speak to God in all things. However, only through faith in Christ can we find true comfort that our deepest wounds are healed. Have you experienced Christ's healing power for your deep wounds? Take it to the Lord in prayer.
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時間真的能治癒一切傷痛嗎？「時間能治癒一切傷痛」或「時間能止住哭泣」這種說法，真的可信嗎？我們所熟悉的世界，總是試圖醫治傷口，尋求最終的康復，即使是最嚴重的創傷也不例外。然而，如果有些傷痛如此深刻，無論經過多少時間，或與傷痛拉開多遠的距離，都無法使它們得到解決，那又怎麼辦呢？大多數時候，人們會嘗試用一些方法來掩蓋傷口，或藉著藥物來減輕痛苦。這並不是要否定現代醫學和科學所帶來的益處，因為這些都是神賜給世人的普遍恩典。
世上有各種各樣的災難，能夠造成令人難以承受的傷痛，而我們每個人也可能親身經歷這些苦難。一方面，有些人可能會以群體的形式，經歷戰爭、饑荒，甚至逼迫所帶來的嚴重苦難；另一方面，有些人則可能在個人層面上遭遇毀滅性的事件，令友誼、家庭關係，甚至與神的關係，在一段時間內受到嚴重的破壞。當我們面對這些處境時，往往會對所發生的事情感到震驚，並不禁問：「為甚麼會發生這樣的事？」於是，我們開始尋找答案，試圖找到醫治傷痛的方法。
《耶利米哀歌》第二章揭示了一種只有神才能醫治的傷痛，而且這是一種極其深重的傷痛。《耶利米哀歌》中的哀哭先知，將這傷痛形容為深如海洋，是世上無人能夠醫治的（哀 2:13）。這傷痛如此嚴重，幾乎到了無法治癒的地步，而它源於神烈怒的審判（哀 2:1）。這幅圖反映了《創世記》第三章的內容，並提醒我們，在這樣的處境中，我們已經墮落的生命本質是無法自我挽救的，而死亡也正是我們所面對的必然結局。那麼，誰能醫治你的心？甚麼能將我們從目前的困境中拯救出來？
恩典的福音向我們在世上所經歷的最深重傷痛，發出了清晰而有力的宣告。它挑戰我們對待神、對待鄰舍，甚至對待仇敵的態度。基督的十字架最充分地彰顯了神的愛與忿怒如何交會，公義與憐憫如何相遇；而十字架也是我們在生與死之中唯一的盼望。保羅在《羅馬書》8:18–39中，將神醫治這深重傷痛的最高峰展現出來。
若沒有基督，落在神的手中是令人恐懼的（約 3:30–36）。然而，當我們被基督的雙臂緊緊抱住時，無論是現在，還是將來的世界，沒有任何事物能使我們與神的愛隔絕。
聖經讓我們深入認識神的神聖本性，而《耶利米哀歌》也鼓勵我們，在任何事情上，我們仍然可以向神傾心吐意。然而，唯有藉著對基督的信心，我們才能找到真正的安慰，確信我們最深重的傷痛已經得到醫治。
你是否曾經經歷基督醫治你內心深處傷痛的大能？請將你的傷痛帶到主面前，在禱告中交託給祂。
Rev. Adam Breasley
