Scars

A scar is a mark left on the skin from a wound.

Forty years ago a missionary was staying overnight with us during our first pastorate when he asked me if there was anything man-made in Heaven.  I paused.  He answered, “Yes, the scars on Jesus!”  Remember the story in Luke 24 where Jesus showed the ten disciples that it was indeed Him raised from the dead proven so by the scars on His hands.  A week later Thomas was with the ten and Jesus appeared again and invited him to put his hand into the scar made by the spear thrust into His torso.

Those scars mark the greatest event in history carried out by God for mankind – Jesus’ sacrificial death paying for the sins of those who cast their faith in Him.  Thanks be to God for the scars that will forever remind me/us of that great sacrifice that gave me salvation, the indwelling Holy Spirit, a presence in Heaven at death, a resurrection to perfection, and an eternity with God in perfect bliss and service.  What a life!  A glorious life!  The scars will forever remind me of God’s greatness and blessings that I will forever enjoy.

Jesus’ use of His scars to bring help and hope to His immediate followers is a lesson in the value of scars today.  Every time I look at the scar on Greg’s throat, I am reminded of the terrible, near death, accident he experienced that put him in ICU for 3 months.  His scar is a powerful reminder to me of God’s grace giving him continued life, the great medicine we experience in this country, and how quickly my life could be greatly altered on any given day.  Greg’s scar is good for me.

Too often we subtly think that being forgiven means being forgotten.  That being healed means no scars.  We base such thinking in part on Psalm 103 which declares that God removes our sins as far as the east is from the west (by the way – that is forever as there is no end going either east or west).   That does not mean that God forgets – He can’t – but that God holds no ill or judgment ever again for that sin.  That is, a scar remains but it is not tender, hot, or oozing.  It is a scar that reminds, that invites others to ask, and that promotes thanks to God.

Now, after a few years, if the scar is still tender, there is likely some anger, fear, or guilt (maybe false guilt) that is yet present.  As with any such issue, the answer is to take it to Jesus, give it to Jesus, claim His help, and let Him bring the healing – not forgetting the depth of despair experienced or the enormous loss, but finding renewal from Him.  Jesus wants you to have release from the pain – He wants to remove the “poison” of the event.  And often there is a poison that can develop in such a time that can poison one’s relationship with God, spouse, children, and/or family, and with one’s personal joy.   Jesus offers release, hope, and a future.  If the scar is tender – let Jesus work!

To attend the funeral of an infant of another family when you experienced the same earlier is to return to your scar.  You don’t deny or avoid the scar for it has value to you.  Noting your scar might bring a tear and a pain and should also be a reminder of the help and healing that Jesus brought to you.  Your scar also helps you understand the pain they are experiencing.  Your scar lets you minister to them in a way that those without such a scar cannot do.

“For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the Lord.   Jeremiah 30:17