“If You Squeeze A Wound… and pus comes out, there’s infection in there.”
This is probably the ‘grossest’ word I’ve ever shared, but that’s what I got from the Lord this morning when I was praying and seeking the Lord for some way I could help ‘wounded’ Christians. So, if you can put up with a little ‘yuck’ factor, there’s an extremely important message here.
There are a LOT of hurting, wounded Christians in this world. All you need to do to confirm that, is to mention something in conversation with another Christian about some injustice or scandal with some religious leader: or some wrong done to you personally by someone in the church, or by someone else you trusted. Very often, (dare I say MOST of the time?), you will trigger stories of their own personal hurts and grievances.
Why should that be? Injuries happen. In all kinds of ways, and for all kinds of reasons. But wounds heal, if properly cared for. It might hurt for a while, but in time the pain will go away. (Just speaking in the natural sense, here. We know God can heal instantly.)
But what we see in Christians way too often, is not the temporary pain and sensitivity of a fresh wound, but instead, the secondary effects of infection in the wound. The evidence is the pus. The pus is not the problem. It’s only one of the evidences of the real problem. The real problem is INFECTION!
Just take a second to think of the various other signs of infection: redness, swelling, inflammation, heat, painful sensitivity to touch. Those are local signs, and bad enough, but left untreated, the infection can spread, and affect the whole body. A person can DIE from the infection that started in a minor wound!
Most of us are quite aware of the potential dangers of infection in the natural. The danger is even GREATER in the spiritual sense. We are familiar with the physical symptoms. We recognize when a high fever indicates the infection is getting serious, maybe life-threatening. But, do we know what a spiritual fever looks like? Can we discern a spiritual fever that is threatening the life of the Christian? … maybe even his eternal life? Can you detect a ‘fever’ in your own words and thoughts? Or in those of a brother? Do you know what spiritual pus looks and smells like?
Yet, there is no reason to be fearful, or despair. The Lord is saying, “If you’ve been wounded, cleanse the wound! Clean out all the dirt. Pour on the anti-infection treatments. Bandage the wound, to protect it from further harm. Don’t let it get infected! Get it healed!”
Whether your injury was 100% someone else’s fault, or it was self-inflicted due to your own poor judgment or ignorance… the treatment of the wound is your own personal responsibility. God has provided everything you need, to prevent infection.
Jesus was wounded for our transgressions (See Isaiah 53:5), but never infected! He used the most powerful, most effective anti-infection agent ever revealed to man… forgiveness! After men, used by the devil, had mercilessly whipped Him, torn His flesh open, pierced His head with thorns, driven rusty nails through His hands and feet, and hung Him on a cross to die… He cried, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” [Luke 23:34 KJV]
Brothers and sisters, saints of God… don’t allow any infection to find a place in your wounds! Forgive! Forgive! Let forgiveness flow into the deepest part of the wounds. If the wound gets squeezed, and pus comes out, or if it’s too sensitive to the touch, recognize the infection. Don’t let it fester, untreated. Be HEALED!
You’ll know you’re healed, when someone can squeeze the place where your wound was, and nothing ‘yucky’ comes out of you, and you don’t feel even the slightest pain. God can even turn scars into ‘marks’ of love, and memories of God’s goodness and mercy.
Forgive. Love. Be healed. And live forever!
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