While cutting an apple, one
summer day, the knife slipped. It was a serrated butter knife,
so it was a little sharper than normal but not so sharp as a steak knife. It
slipped through the apple down to my little, nine year old, right pinky. I did not know what to do. It
hardly bled but it was deep. I walked to my mom in the living room, cradling it
in with my left hand and told her I cut my finger. She told me to grab a band
aid. I stood there and knew it was more than a band aid kind of fix and
repeated I had cut my finger. She took my hand and looked down at my pinky, straight
to the bone. We proceeded to the doctors.
As we sat in the little room, I
was terrified. I did not want stitches.
My mom asked the doctor if there was any way I could forego them, and the
doctor agreed - fixing it with simply three small pieces of surgical tape, holding it all together. Stitches were probably the best fix but the doctor's
grace gave me another option. It took weeks to heal. The bandage could not get
wet, so I spent the summer floating in an inner tube with my hand wrapped in
bags, so I could still enjoy our backyard pool. Eventually it healed and but
there is still the scar on the bottom of my right pinky to prove it.
When Jesus rose from the grave
after three days in the tomb, he had scars to show, too. The holes from the nails
that were driven in to his hands and feet were visible for all to see. They
told a story. They told his story of defeating death and triumphing over sin
for all of humanity. They showed more proof of his status as God's son. Proof
to doubting Thomas, who said he would not believe unless he saw the nail marks in his hands and put his finger where the
nails were, and put his hand into his side, he would not believe (John
20:25). And of course, Jesus shows up. He shows him his scars and lets him
touch his side, so he would stop doubting and believe (John 20:27).
Jesus shows up to everyone
differently at different times and places in life - ready to heal wounds and scars. Scars from past hurts - physical or emotional, if you let him. You
may be a skeptic or a doubter. And. That. Is. Okay. That is a place to
start. Without doubting you may never ask questions or ponder meaning or search
for answers. Without skepticism you may never find the truth and be able to dive
in to the healing of God.
God is a healer. He is bigger
than any scar that you will ever face. There is no one like him. No one like
Jesus. The lyrics of Chris Tomlin's Our
God ring out these truths. Have a listen.
Our God is Healer,
Awesome in Power,
Our God!
Praying that you would show your
scars to someone this week and share the healing that you have received.
Praying that if you have unhealed scars, that you would share them, as well
because in order to start the healing process, you have to recognize that they exist. Praying that you would take the precautions that come with the injury and journey on accordingly, knowing that in due time, you will be fully healed - either in this life or the next.
Praying that you would seek and
question and get answers if you find yourself doubting. Praying that you would
find the truth in Jesus and join in the worship of the King of Kings. Praying
that nothing would stand against you as you go along your journey. Praying that someone who has shared similar scars would be put in your life to guide you as you travel through it, encouraging you and praising the Lord along the way.
Here's to scars and sutures.