Wounds That Heal: Bringing Our Hurts to the Cross

"By his wounds we are healed"--Isaiah 53:5. We are wounded people. In this fallen world, people are hurt and exploited. Children are abused. Marriages are broken. Tragedies of all kinds afflict us and the ones we love. Woundedness, it seems, is simply a fact of life. But we are not alone in our suffering. Despite our emotional, psychological and physical injuries, God has not abandoned us. God is not distant or aloof. On the contrary, through the ministry of Jesus, God enters our painful situations to bring healing and redemption. Balancing sound biblical exposition with sensitive pastoral care, Stephen Seamands examines the profound implications of Jesus' crucifixion for our healing and restoration. Because Jesus experienced abuse, shame and rejection, he understands the hurts we experience today. And his response to pain and suffering gives us hope that we too can experience forgiveness and new life. Filled with real-life stories of people's brokenness and healing, Wounds That Heal offers comfort for our wounded souls. Ultimately, we take heart that God not only understands our pain but has done something about it. Encounter here the promise that the wounds of Jesus are wounds that heal.

Stephen Seamands (Ph.D., Drew University) is professor of Christian doctrine at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He also frequently speaks and leads retreats and seminars on such issues as emotional healing and spiritual renewal. His books include Christology and Transition in the Theology of Edwin Lewis (University Press of America, 1987), Holiness of Heart and Life (Abingdon, 1990), A Conversation with Jesus (Victor, 1994) and Wounds That Heal (InterVarsity Press, 2003).