Scars

The other day it hit me squarely in the face: Jesus has scars on his body! The body with which He walked through walls, His eternal body, that one has scars on it.

God created everything, with mankind being the crown jewel. He knew we would mess it all up, but He still gave us free will. in the middle of our broken world that so often cuts deep, our Creator walks with us, bringing hope and peace. The joy He brings in the middle of it all makes no sense to me. How does He do that?! 2 Corinthians 6:10 says the following, “as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.”

Jesus came to the earth He made, fully God and fully man. Totally perfect. He lived a while, then He died. He rose with scars on a perfect body. The scars are there right this second. I don’t know what it all means and how deep it goes, but I’m not soon giving up trying to work that reality out in my own life. And if you permit me, I’d love to think about this a little further. On a very superficial level, this life brings scars. Just as there are a million ways to hurt yourself physically, there are a million ways to hurt and be hurt below the skin, on a heart level. We are broken people, living in a very broken world.

We adopted our oldest son when he was almost four years old. The circumstances of his life, those first few years, caused deep scars, which are not visible but he carries with him. I will not understand the reason for those this side of Heaven, but that’s ok. I don’t have to understand it all right now. It is enough to know God is with us—no matter what pain and brokenness come our way—and in the middle of it all, He brings joy! I guess that’s what Paul meant when he talks about the “peace that surpasses all understanding.” May we never take that peace for granted.

As always, may you find joy in the simple things. This is Marlin with Plain Values magazine. Learn more about our work, and subscribe, at plainvalues.com.