Becoming a Beautiful House – Soothed

How our minds and the truths in scripture are intertwined continues to astonish me. Attending and speaking at the conference “Just Jesus” for Christian Counselors in the Cape Town area, was a blessing. One presenter in particular who shared research linking childhood trauma, the mind, and future addictions particularly caught my attention.

For example when a young child falls and is hurt, the comfort of a parent releases a natural chemical in the brain similar to opium which assists in calming the child.  But what is also amazing is how this same chemical is released in the parent to calm them down. What a Creator God!

The sad news however is when children are not comforted by a parent or trusted adult in their pain or trauma there is a much greater likelihood of a struggle in the future with some form of additive behavior. This brings us to last week’s blog and the 4 S’s presented by author and psychiatrist Curt Thompson of the need for healthy spiritual hearts to be Seen, Soothed, Safe, and Secure. When these are present in our lives Christ creates a Beautiful House within!

God created us to be comforted or soothed in our pain in order for proper healing to take place and scripture supports this. Reading John 20 we learned how Mary Magdalene’s heart was being transformed as she was SEEN by the Resurrected Lord Jesus.  Being truly SEEN by the ONE who loves us fills our hearts deepest longing.

In this text we also see Mary was SOOTHED by her Savior. A great picture of being SOOTHED is a parent or trusted adult holding and comforting a child who had just taken a spill on their tricycle and blooded their chin. It is the hugs and loving voice that brings a soothing calm to the crying child.

In John 20, Mary’s tears were real and inconsolable. Even when two angels in dazzling white robes, sitting where Jesus body was laid said, “Dear woman, why are you crying? (vs. 13) she did not calm down. You would have thought the sight of these glorious beings in an empty tomb might just help a little, but no. We read on that when she mistakes Jesus for the gardener she is still crying (vs 15).

Yet, when Jesus speaks her name with compassionate love (she is seen) followed by an embrace (she is soothed) it is then the tears of pain and sorrow turn to tears of overwhelming joy (vs. 16). From the text we realize the hug was heartfelt as Mary did not want to let go, she did not want to risk losing the One who loved her perfectly for who she was.  The text continues Jesus kindly says, “Mary do not cling to Me for I have not ascended to the Father…” (vs. 17).

More to follow about this phrase next week, but the promise that awaits Mary is that she will not be left alone, soothing will be still be tangible when Jesus as King ascends to the Father.  Mary eventually lets go of Jesus trusting that something even greater than she can imagine will happen.

What an amazing gift for us to comprehend that God sent His son Jesus to earth, in order to take on all our pain caused by sin and a sinful world and bury it in the grave. We praise the resurrected Jesus who sees us and soothes our hurts. Yes, we will still suffer and stumble in this world until all is made right,  but in the mean time we have a Savior who sees us and soothes us with His lasting love.

He is the Perfect Parent who runs to us in all our trauma. He lovingly calls us by name and wraps His loving arms around us and brings true comfort to our deepest needs.  And as we receive His soothing love we then become agents of His comfort and peace to others around us who need to hear His voice and feel His wrap around love holding them, knowing we are apart of His Beautiful House.  This is how His Beautiful House living with us will cover the whole world.