I heard a song about scars we carry. The guy singing it (who I don’t recall) was referencing Jesus. In the song he said “Because of the scars you carried for us, I have become the man I am today”.

That is the only part of the entire song that resonated with me. I carried it with me for a few days pondering over those specific words. I don’t know, maybe that’s why I was up earlier than usual. Maybe the Lord wants me to dig deeper into this. If I am being totally honest, these are the times of the day when I am most still and can hear clearly.

So, with my coffee, my journal

book and pen I began writing.

When I think about the scars Jesus bore for me.

The nail scars on his hands and feet, the deep scars on his back from the whip, the scars that ran across his forehead from the pressure of the crowns the thorns digging in, and let’s not forget the inner scars I’m sure he carried from the words of men, I am overwhelmed.

I believe we as believers know the situation could have changed at any given moment, because He was Jesus, He could have called a host of angels down at any given time, but he knew what his destination was, he knew what his purpose was.

As I sat in the quietness I had to ask the Lord; what is it that you want me to hear, so, in my stillness I hear the words, “Consider my scars as an example for you”.

Now this, I need to ponder in depth over, because honestly I would have never considered His scar as an example in the reference to my life. I found myself choking up on this because His journey to the cross had so much pain connected to it, so much hatred, how could this be an example?

Now, if I fast forward in my life and I consider all of the pain I have endured, from my family, friends, government, my spouse, or reverse it, and I ponder over all the pain I have caused. None of us are exempt from inflicting hurt, disappointment or pain in the lives of people close to us, people that love us, people that don’t understand us, people that aren’t on the same page as us, this can be intentional or unintentional.

People didn’t understand Jesus, they didn’t understand His love, they didn’t understand and couldn’t accept the message he carried with him, this is why they crucified him, this is why they taunted him and scarred him. But, He was not surprised, he knew it would come. I have to run this morning with my thoughts, grasping at reality of the sheer strength, the determination, the sound mindset he had to have in order to not allow what was happening break him or deter him from his path.

My thoughts today is the scars we carry, even the ones that come from the worst kinds of places…abandonment, abuse, neglect, betrayal, the list can keep going but Jesus chose to keep His scars. He wanted us remember we are LOVED, we are not ALONE, and we were WORTH every pain and piercing. In Isaiah 53:5 it reads: He was pierced for our transgressions and by his wounds we are healed”

So, I ask you today…

What kind of person have your scars made you?