“For He bruises, but He binds up;
He wounds, but His hands make whole.”
Job 5:18
Have you ever considered the difference between bruises, wounds, and scars?
Bruises are a type of internal bleeding caused by some kind of staggering blow. To heal, that bruise must be absorbed by the tissue surrounding it.
Things sometimes come into our life quite suddenly, sending us reeling. We are bruised. God, in His great love, gently bends over us and binds up our bruises. But at the same time, we must choose to take that bruise, absorb it, learn the lessons from it, do something beautiful with it. He binds up, and we choose to allow God’s healing.
“So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:12
Sometimes we feel downright wounded. Jesus had wounds, but today they are scars. Knowing that His wounds have become scars reminds us there will be a day when our wounds will be healed, and He is the one that heals. After wrestling with the Angel, Jacob (Genesis 32) walked with a limp, a wound. But it reminded him of the night Jesus literally held him. And if we think back, it’s probably the same for us. In the moments when we were hurting the most, Jesus was holding us the closest.
Wounds teach us hope and trust. Hope for the day when we will be completely healed, and hope for healing to begin right now. Trust that He knows what is best and He’s taking care of us, and trust that He’s working right now.
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6
We all have scars. Sometimes we look at those scars and call ourselves broken because of them. And yet, scars can sometimes be even more beautiful than complete healing. You see, as human beings, we forget everything. But when we have scars, they’re always there to remind us: He has healed us here. While we see scars as a reminder of the brokenness, He sees scars as a reminder of healing. After all, that’s what His scars are for…
“But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5
Join me in two weeks for part 3 (part 1 is here).
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