STITCHES; Finding God in the wounds

Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals.

I love this name!

He is what we all need in these challenging days (and long nights!)

I love this name even more now that I have learned that Rapha means 'to mend with stitches'.

It is not easy to bring ripped and ragged edges together, to sew in the gaps and restore the holes. It requires much skill and patience to repair frayed damage.

It is not a drive-through microwavable instant fix but fine workmanship mastery manoeuvres with a sharp needle and thread. Time, effort and precision.

Perhaps we expect it to be pain free. There is nothing comfortable or instant about stitches.

They hurt!

Recovery needs some careful binding, rest and wound care afterwards.

I love the focused attention to detail.

Mending is not always miracles.

Often the scars remain visible.

The patchwork is a testimony of the broken journey.

Sometimes that carries more power than we realise!

'There is a time for everything and a season for every purpose under heaven;

A time to tear apart and a time to sew together.' Ecclesiastes 3

This is the season of Rapha healing with stitches!