TISSUE ALERT
Heal the Wound, Leave the Scar
I Corinthians 13:4a Love suffers long and is kind….
This is Passover week. Jesus’ suffering culminates. Isaiah the prophet records for the Jewish people a picture of what Messiah’s suffering will look like. (Isaiah 53) It is not a pretty picture. James, the brother of Jesus, wrote after all the suffering took place, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation (suffering): for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the LORD hath promised to them that love him.”
Cruel World
This world is cruel. Jesus reminds us, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble.” (suffering, pain, heartache, sickness, death, poverty, and the list goes on and on and on.) John 16:33
Jesus took on suffering because this was what he came to do! Hebrews 4:15 states, “(Jesus) was in all points tempted like we are, but without sin.” And because he suffered, he secured for us the ability to overcome our own suffering. (Hebrew 2:18). Review of the Temptations/Trials of Jesus
Kindness Demonstrated
Just what did Jesus endure? Isaiah tells us:
He was despised, rejected, experienced sorrow and grief. Our Savior was abducted, wounded, bruised, beaten, and scourged. Christ served as a scapegoat when all mankind’s sin was laid on His holy shoulders. He was teased and taunted, publicly humiliated, falsely accused, imprisoned, and verbally abused. The Son of the Living God was reduced to an unrecognizable human being and He said nothing. And he was executed in the cruelest manner ever conjured up by man. Torture is putting it in palatable terms. This Lamb did not fight back; he was humble, kind, did not “bow up” or seek to lay blame elsewhere. HE WAS KIND! Jesus prayed for His torturers and us! “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Kindness’ Scars
We often are reminded about the scars of His hands, feet and side. But, do we remember the scars on His back? The stripes of our healing are still visible as well. All these scars are reminders of the example we are to follow: Suffer long and be kind. (I Peter 2:21)
I Peter 4:12-13, 19 give us these directions: Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s suffering; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Sufferings Purpose
Our longsufferings act as a fire used to purify our lives and is for the honor and glory of our Savior. (I Peter 1:6-7) Jesus wears His scars as a badge of honor. Will we? Our wounds build our testimonies. (II Corinthians 1:4, James 1:2)
Jesus finds us wounded, weary, and worked-over and heals us, strengthens us, and makes us His own special treasure: His Bride. All it takes to heal our wounds is the unconditional love of Jesus, our Bridegroom, who loved us and suffered long for us and was oh, so kind.
Used by permission of artist, Jennifer Oakley-Delaplante
Yvonne H Jones
