The Oil Of Gilead

My friend and I were having coffee together a couple of weeks ago and during the conversation, she said, “I cannot wait to hold your new book in my hands and listen for the ‘crack’ as I open up the first page and start reading it.”

Unbeknown to my friend, she had put words to the images I had in my head of the top of an oil jar being ‘cracked’ open as I recalled the still, small voice that had whispered to me when I was praying one morning that my debut book, ‘Wounded and on the Run: How the worst pain can lead you into your greatest calling’ which is to be released in just a couple weeks, would reach many brokenhearted souls that so desperately needed the soothing, healing oil of Gilead running down from each page, pouring its healing, soothing balm into their wounding as they ‘cracked’ opened the first page.

An internet search of what the Oil of Gilead meant and how it was made, led me to discover that the etymology (that is the origin and source of a word) is borrowed from a word in Hebrew that means ‘heap [of stones] of testimony. Interestingly, in biblical times it is thought that a substance that came from a tree or a shrub beyond the Jordan was traded in the ancient world. Known as the Oil of Gilead, it held the power to soothe and heal. Oh my, I knew at that moment God was revealing to me that the testimony of my wounding was going to be the oil of Gilead for so many others who needed to become empowered and equipped, allowing Jesus to cleanse their wounds with His scars and to help them follow the blood trail He left at the cross.

As King Solomon writes in the first few lines of his poetic, passionate love story that starts off the book of Song of Songs, ‘Your presence releases a fragrance so pleasing – over and over poured out. For your lovely name is “Flowing Oil.” No wonder the brides-to-be adore you.’ The flowing, healing oil of Gilead seeps and soothes into our wounds of disappointment, pain, brokenness and betrayal. The wounding that has left us running, leaving a blood trail behind for the hunter, Satan to track us down so he can wound us, searching us out repeatedly because of the blood trail we have left behind us.

The hunter, Satan fires his arrows and bullets into our most vulnerable places, causing us to stay hidden within the shadows of our pain. The smear of our muddy pasts, the grief that has caused us to run at all costs, the shame that covers up our oozing, scabby wounds as best as we can, hiding them with whatever helps soothe the discomfort from facing ourselves keeps us running. And it is here in this moment, that you have longed to stop running in your forest of pain and just catch your breath, if only for a moment.

The prophet, Jeremiah speaks of healing oil as he longs for Judah to repent and change their ways, to stop running away from God and run toward Him. We read of the rebellious ways of God’s people as they are scattered and taken into exile, so Jeremiah cries out to God to bring his healing oil, ‘From within, a dark and cold hurt arises. From without, I am strangled by the horror of it all. Is there no healing medicine in Gilead, no balm that could help my people? Is there no physician who can help? Why is there no healing for the wounds inflicted on my people?’

The sweet-smelling oil of Gilead was used to heal wounds, and it is the damage from our bruised and tender souls that has lacerated the relationship between ourselves and God that needs to be gently and slowly mended. In Genesis chapter 3, we read of God calling out to Adam, “Where are you?” and God asks each one of us the same question. “Where are you?” And the sting in the tail of a snake that we allowed to hoodwink us into thinking that going our own way was far better than following the Way, caused us to run away from God instead of running toward His loving, tender embrace.

As Kris Vallotton says, “most of us don’t even know who we are, because we haven’t stopped long enough to say hello to ourselves…if we don’t know who we are or how we are doing, how can we really share ourselves with others?” Hiding can make us forget who we are and Whose we are until we feel we will never find the light that will guide us home. So, we hide in the shadows from ourselves and from others hoping the pain of our wounding will eventually go away.

As I share the message of my book, the scars I carry tend to take on a posture of brushing aside and rushing through all of my testimony that is found within its pages. My go-to move of moving forward, of charging ahead to the next book, the next project, or the next message that will help people in their own struggles of finding their way back to the Father’s heart need me to stop, pause, and just sit here with you in this the moment. I know that I cannot move on to my next writing project, not until I have first helped others find the Healer, the Comforter, the One who shows you the holes of His scarring so that your wounds can be wholly healed. The One who pours the oil of Gilead straight from the jar and saturates your soul with every ounce of His goodness, kindness, and grace.

‘So come with me if you will and picture a scene of a little wooden cabin in the forest with smoke smouldering out of a metal chimney poking through a grey slatted roof. Imagine the dappled rays of light peeking through the branches of the trees, as they shine their warmth on each petal of the colourful flowers adorning the window boxes neatly positioned either side of the front door. Take off your muddied shoes and make yourself at home as you pass under the sign above the door frame, that simply says, ‘Welcome’ and find a cosy chair in which to rest your weary soul. This shelter has been tenderly crafted for a wounded soul who is tired from the chase. It is my hope and prayer you will find rest within these pages, and that this is a place for you to catch your breath. Stop running, let Jesus touch your heart and work on your wounds from the inside out.¹

Wendy xo

Where are you today, dear friend? Hiding in shame because of your wounds?

Father, I pray that Your oil of Gilead will pour from the pages of ‘Wounded And On The Run’ helping the ones who have hidden for so long and have forgotten who they are and more importantly, Whose they are. The wounded souls who are bone-tired from the constant arrows of affliction with which the hunter, Satan keeps firing. So, I pray, that these wounded ones will hear Your voice, Father, that calls them back home so that their wounds can be healed and soothed with Your oil of Gilead. Amen.

^{Reference 1 – Excerpt taken from ‘Wounded and On The Run: How The Worst Pain Can Lead You Into Your Greatest Calling’  Published by Daughters of Love & Light, Adelaide, South Australia. 2022.}