Traumatized Women

Traumatized Women

“Rachel” Weeping For Her Children

Read: Matthew 2:18

Hot tears stung her eyes as she looked at the calendar. It was six years ago today, and this year was no different from the rest.

First she remembered her friends’ counsel: “This is not the right time—you need to finish college.” “You have to think of what’s best for you.” “It’s no big deal, really.” “This is the only answer.”

Then there were the familiar questions that she kept to herself: Would I have had a son or a daughter in kindergarten? What color would his eyes be? Would she have my curly hair? What books would he like? How would her voice sound?

Matthew 2:18 refers to two groups of women in Israel’s history who mourned the loss of their children. Jeremiah originally uttered the prophecy to describe mothers whose children were carried off into captivity. Later, Matthew used the words to depict the grief-stricken mothers in the Bethlehem area whose sons age two or younger were slaughtered by Herod’s soldiers. Imagine the deafening wails as women clutched the lifeless bodies of their baby boys, so suddenly struck down.

In our own nation, countless women mourn the loss of their children, often in silence. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and the Alan Guttmacher Institute, more than 42 million abortions have been performed in America since the practice was legalized. Medical professionals have identified a range of symptoms in women who suffer from postabortion syndrome, including insomnia, eating disorders, alcohol and drug addictions, severe depression, and suicide attempts.

We are surrounded by millions of wounded women. Their only hope for healing is found at the cross, where Jesus suffered and died so that we could be made whole. However deep our secret pain, we can come to Jesus knowing that he was wounded so we can be restored.

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

Psalm 147:3