Job 24:12

New King James Version

The dying groan in the city,
And the souls of the wounded cry out;
Yet God does not charge them with wrong.

For Encouragement

We have a lot to learn from the tragic consequences of the rape of Tamar by her brother, Amnon (2 Samuel 13:1-22). Unfortunately, similar stories are told in silence and whispered everywhere—in homes, towns, cities, workplaces, conference halls, and even churches. 

Young men, women, and children cry for help like Tamar in most cities, but oppressive cultures and human traffickers shut their voices down. Sadly, the relevant institutions of nations are too weak to combat this human tragedy. Their corrupt officials do not care about anything but to profit from this malicious trade.

Across Africa to the Americas, from the Islands to Asia and Europe, these charlatans traffic vulnerable victims into sex slavery and sweat factories. They lure the young men and women out of their countries and sell them into slavery on farms or as underpaid construction workers.

The arrows of this heartless world system are sharp and deadly, and they wound painfully. Their victims weep, moan, and groan, and somewhere in the dark recesses of their hearts, a mocking voice tells them they are dead. Somehow, they live, and their silent groans grow louder in a world that has lost its bearing and does not care.

Fortunately, Job was wrong with his charge against God as uncaring. God cares and will surely bring every one of these perpetrators of human oppression to justice (2 Peter 2:4-10; Revelation 20:11-12), but for now, He has given us His good news!

God, in love, has sent His Only Son, Jesus, to our sick and dying world to heal and restore (John 3:16). His divine mission was to proclaim good news to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty the oppressed; and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (Lk. 4:18-19). 

Chuck Swindoll is right.

“Tucked away in a quiet corner of every life are wounds and scars. If they were not there, we would need no Physician. Nor would we need one another.” 

Jesus is the Physician, and He is still making His worldwide calls around the cities, towns, and villages like the family doctor of old. He has the balm of Gilead in His hands to soothe the pain and heal the wounds of the afflicted. To everyone who hears His voice and opens the door of their heart to Him, Jesus will come in to heal and restore the dignity they may have lost (Revelation 3:20).

Let the world, therefore, hear this Good News from you and become an instrument of God in the life of a wounded and groaning soul today!