May 30, 2020
John 20:19-20 … “After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” vs. 20
It’s interesting that, according to John, the wounds of Jesus were not obliterated by his resurrection. Indeed, their presence as scars on his body are proof of his identity. The disciples knew who he was for sure only when they saw the marks left by the nails and the spear. That same sort of thing is true for us as we live the new life that is ours in Christ. No matter how good we have it, no matter what joys fill our days, our identity is pretty much shaped by our scars. All of us are wounded in one way or another in the course of a lifetime—sometimes the scars come from school experiences or a bad home environment. Sometimes we pick them up in our wandering years, the physical and emotional wounding that can hurt in such ugly ways. Of course there’s healing and relief along the way, particularly when we learn to rely on the presence of our comforting Shepherd. And many times the pain can even go away. But the scars never leave us and that’s a good thing, because it’s our wounds that shape our identity in such a powerful way. In fact, it’s only when others are allowed to see our scars that they can get an idea of who we really are. It’s in those moments that they can identify with us and truly become our friends.
Thought for the Day: What scars from old wounds do I carry with me?
0 Comments