Jeremiah 8:21-22 — For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
Are you carrying wounds that were inflicted a long time ago, from which there seems to be no healing? If not, if you have never been hurt, or if you know that you have recovered from every wound, congratulations — maybe you can share this with a hurting friend!
For the rest of us …
Jeremiah was full of grief, for Israel was wounded so greatly that there was, it seemed, no healing. There should have been healing — Israel’s special relationship with Jehovah should have ensured it. But Israel had so far offended Jehovah by there pursuit of idols that He would punish them until justice was done.
It was, so Jeremiah said, as though the trees of Gilead had ceased to produce the balm for which it was famous, and the healers of Gilead had lost there skill.
Now, however, things have changed. There is a healer who will never lose His touch! When asked why He associated with sinners, Jesus said “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” (Matthew 9:12). There is a healing balm — the blood of Christ will heal any injury or sickness of the soul.
There’s a wonderful old spiritual, the first I ever heard. Thirty of us, boys in a private English school, singing a song about pains none of us could know and a cure none of us understood:
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul
Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work’s in vain
But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again
Don’t ever feel discouraged for Jesus is your friend
And if you lack of knowledge He’ll ne’er refuse to lend
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”.
It’s only since I became a Christian that I have learned the great truths in this wonderful old song. Jesus has healed many wounds for me, and is working on the rest.
There are times when I can’t even think what to say, or how to say it — but Jesus has provided the Helper and He always gives a word at need. He gives me the chance to talk about Him, and to share what I know of Him. I don’t “preach like Peter or pray like Paul” but I can tell the love of Jesus. There is a balm in Gilead!