On Easter Resurrection Sunday, we looked at the scars of Jesus, as Mark reminded us of the scars we too carry in our lives, in our faith and in our thinking. There are scars we like to brag about and those we try to hide. Whatever caused our scars, it was never without pain and it is the scar tissue that affects our lives and our living.
When Jesus was beaten, tortured and whipped, He bore our scars for God’s glory. He revealed His scars to doubting Thomas who needed to see them before he believed that Jesus had truly risen from the dead, and He reveals them to you today.
We don’t need to be living as wounded Christians any longer. To trust God for our healing to be made whole and set free, we need to acknowledge these 3 things:-
1. He knows our pain
In Hebrews 2:17 we learn that Jesus became like us, so He would know our pain and can be merciful. Jesus can relate to and understand our pain because He too experienced rejection, pain and suffering. The gruesome reality of the pain Jesus experienced on the Cross must challenge and move us to respond.
2. The Lord of Love
The Lord of love shouts out from His scars. Romans 5:8 reminds us that whilst we were still sinners, Jesus died for us. He reveals His scars with pride for they were received for our freedom. It was not the nails that were the enemy but our transgressions that carried the cost to bring about wholeness to our brokenness. Jesus took all of our punishment even though we deserved it, and He did it out of love.
3. By His Wounds
Stop walking around with open wounds, when there is healing to be found. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that Jesus was wounded for your transgressions, He was bruised for your iniquities and the chastisement for your peace was upon Him, and by His stripes, you are healed.
To live fully healed and not live affected by your scars, you need to believe the following:-
A. No more nails (condemnation)
God wants to take your holes and make you holy. Jesus won the victory for you to live a pure and holy life, despite your failings.
B. Lay down your nails (forgive)
There is never any justification for retribution. Stop holding onto the nails of unforgiveness that keep you bound in chains. Remember the scars of Jesus that conquered death and that He rose, so you too can live a risen life, alive for a reason.
When you stop focusing on your scars and praise and worship Jesus, you will find healing. Jesus bears the scars of your pain, your guilt and your shame. Praise and worship are not a religious action, but our declaration that Jesus has won the victory for our healing to bring us health and wholeness.
If you are carrying scars or scar tissue in your emotions, your marriage, your relationships or your life, then place your fingers in Jesus’s side, in His sores and on His wounds, so you too can believe as Thomas did and find the anointing oil for the healing of your scars.