Scars

Gal 6:17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

KJV

Paul was despitefully used and abused when all he was doing was preaching the Gospel of truth and freedom to people. Not only him, but all the Apostles were doing good things and all of them were ultimately killed by wicked people. Paul especially suffered having being whipped nearly to death, beaten and stoned at other times as well as being slandered.

He could have let all of that totally defeat him and though at times the pressures seemed as though they would kill him and his companions he turned to the God of all comfort who healed the pain and turned the scars into badges of glory and honor. For indeed, Christ also suffered innocently and had marks or scars upon Him.

Many Christians throughout the ages and even in this day are despised, abused, scarred and even killed. Yet, if you read the testimonies of those saints in their autobiographies or read about them in books like Foxes Book of Martyrs they bore the pain and gloried in their sufferings and scars. Some even embraced the instruments of their death for they counted it a joy to die for Christ. Many went to death singing and praising God as the lions leaped upon them or the flames consumed them.

Though God can and does heal many scars there some scars that will last for eternity.

Luke 24:36-40

36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. KJV

Christ appears to His disciples, soon to be apostles, in His glorified body and yet the scars remained. Thomas would not believe unless he saw them, but the scars were not kept for Thomas, but rather as a testimony throughout eternity. They are a testimony of His grace showing that He could righteously show mercy on sinners for justice had been carried out on the Cross. Sin had been paid for though the love of the Trinity. Each had a part in the redemption of man. Justice and love merged and triumphed on the instrument that created those scars and defeated all of God's and our enemies! Glory to His name!!!!

Believers, do you have scars from sins past or even present? Bring them to your Lord and Savior. He can heal the pain and turn the scars of shame into a badge of mercy that you can share with others as you tell them how you got your scars and how you were healed of the pain.

Skeptic? Unbeliever? I know you have scars and pain for it is the lot of a fallen race. You can deny the cause, but you cannot deny the scars. Why do you fight it? There is nothing in this world that makes more sense than the Gospel. We see the proof of it every day. Despite our education, prosperity and so-called civilization man is worse off than ever since we can now literally blow the earth to pieces and barbarity is rampant around the world.