Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Healer

The other day I was listening to Spotify radio, and the song "Healer" by Hillsong United came on. I'm actually a fan of this song, mostly because of the journey it has taken me on since I first heard it. The song was written and performed by a man named Mike Gugleilmucci, who had recently been diagnosed with cancer. He sang this song that hailed the Lord as the ultimate Healer with such passion and abandonment, that it was really inspiring. To see this man potentially dying of cancer, singing his heart out in a song of trust and praise to his God in the midst of these circumstances, was truly something holy. Check out the video below and see for yourself:



But as it turns out, the whole circumstance was a lie. Gugleilmucci had lied to everyone (including his own family) about having terminal cancer in order to cover up his addiction to pornography (don't ask me how that works).

It's easy to feel duped, and feel like this guy betrayed all of us who got so much inspiration from his story. I find myself wondering, If the inspiration was founded upon a lie, can any of it be true? Can God still use this lie to speak into people's lives? 


The answer to those questions is, of course, yes. The Lord quickly reminds me that I am not much different. My sins may not be as public or controversial as this guy's, but they are sins that keep me from the Lord nonetheless. But how many times have I seen the Lord work through me, despite me? How many times have I seen the Lord use me for His Kingdom, even when I was caught in sin?

And this is the miracle of the Kingdom of God--that somehow, the Lord uses broken and sinful people for His Kingdom's sake. That the pure and unadulterated holiness of the Lord can be seen in wicked, unclean people. I'm reminded of Isaiah crying out "Woe is me! For I am a man of unclean lips...and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty!" And then the angel touches the coal to his lips and cleanses him, in order that he might be sent out.

We are an unclean people made clean for the sake of the Lord's work. Truly the Lord IS the great Healer, the One who takes our brokenness and ugliness and turns it into something beautiful, for His sake. And truly we can praise Him for this, lifting up our voices along with all the other sinners and saints that are called the Bride of Christ.

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