All That Remains

Last week I was chatting with an old friend who I haven’t seen in quite a while.  The way the light from the window was hitting my face, she noticed a scar on my forehead and asked me about it.  The scar is a remnant from a car accident that honestly, I shouldn’t have walked away from.  My flesh shouted, “Change your hair, and buy some new makeup that will cover it up!”  I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, “Do no such thing. . .”  You see that scar is a part of my history; it is an imprint in my flesh of a past hurt.  I’m not going to try to cover up who I am.  Isaiah 52:14 foretells the mutilation that Jesus would suffer, “. . . his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness” (NIV Capitalization theirs).  The Archaeological Study Bible states, “This prophecy makes clear that Christ’s treatment at the time of his passion and crucifixion would be absolutely inhumane” (1154).  Yet when Jesus showed Himself to the disciples after His Resurrection, in Luke 24:36-38, He was not only recognizable as Himself, but the only scars that remained were the wounds from the crucifixion.  His scars are who He is, The Savior, He Who died for the sins of the world and our faithful friend.  One day I’m not going to need this body any longer and it will be shed like a garment.  My scars aren’t going to matter anymore.  Hebrews 12:2 proclaims, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (NIV Capitalization theirs).  This joy that Jesus suffered for is you.  He suffered for your salvation.  Look around you, everything that you see will someday be perished; except for your relationship with Jesus or lack thereof.   That reality will be all that remains.