Like Balm

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Sunday morning, 18th December 2022, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

Jeremiah 8:22 says:

“Is there no balm in Gilead,…?”

Then we go to Isaiah 40:1:

“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God.”  

But we say, “With what? We do not have money or wealth.” Well, as Peter said to the lame man in Acts 3:6:

“Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

A kind word, a positive word, an encouraging word - it is like a sweet-smelling ointment used to heal or soothe the skin. That is how the Oxford Dictionary describes the word, balm. “Is there any balm in Gilead?”

You know the power of the tongue is amazing. I remember, like yesterday, at one of our early Mighty Men Conferences, a big sturdy policeman got up in front of all the men and he confessed that he had never told his son, who was sitting there, that he loved him. This big 18-year-old boy came running down the aisle to his dad who was standing on the platform and the two of them embraced each other and loved each other. You know that that young man before that, he couldn’t even make the third rugby team at school. He went back and made the first team, he then became a semi-professional rugby player. Why? Because a kind word was spoken by his dad - It transformed his life completely. You and I need to say a kind word. People are hurting, people are wounded. They need that ointment of love and affirmation, that word of encouragement. Let's do it this Sunday... Let's phone someone. 

Tell your wife she looks beautiful, tell your husband he looks so handsome still, even though he might be old and grey-haired. You know, you have no idea what it will do for them. 

Jesus bless you and goodbye.