Scars!!!

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phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,260
2,111
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#1
''..."I will not believe it until I... put my finger where the nails were"...'' John 20:25

In The Odyssey, when Odysseus returns home disguised as an old man, his family doesn't know him. Then his childhood nurse sees a scar she remembers from infancy. Until then, even she doesn't recognise him. When Thomas heard Jesus was alive, he said, '..."I will not believe it until I... put my finger where the nails were"...' Jesus' scars were proof-positive He'd been crucified and resurrected. When Thomas checked them out for himself, he responded, '"My Lord and my God!"' (v. 28).

It's the first time Scripture records a disciple directly addressing Jesus as God, and it came in response to seeing His scars. We all have scars. Dr Will Willimon says, 'I've a friend who spent... his life in an orphanage. His mother took him there as a boy, left him out under a big cedar tree, told him she'd return that afternoon, but didn't. He's now middle-aged.

One day I was to meet him for lunch and I was late... I found him in a state of agitation, pacing about, perspiring, visibly upset... Later he said, "I can't help it. I get bent out of shape when a friend is late, because my mother kept me waiting... and never returned." He was all grown up... but he still had scars... You've got your scars, some visible, some invisible, some more visible with age. The Risen Christ also has scars to prove his love for you. If you don't know him, or like Thomas, if you aren't sure you believe, he'll show you his scars '...that you may believe... and... by believing you may have life in his name' (John 20:31 NIV).
 
M

Meridoc

Guest
#2
That reminded me of this:

SCARS OF LIFE


Some years ago, on a hot summer day in South Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His father, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs...That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved. The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, 'But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go.'

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too; no, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you...The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead…The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack…That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go.

Please pass this on to those you love...God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through. Never judge another person's scars, because you don't know how they got them...Also, it is so important that we are not selfish, to receive the blessings of these messages, without forwarding them to someone else. Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them, too- enough to not let them go.
 
Dec 19, 2009
2,723
7
0
#3
''..."I will not believe it until I... put my finger where the nails were"...'' John 20:25

When Thomas checked them out for himself, he responded, '"My Lord and my God!"' (v. 28).

quote]


Read
Ex 23:20-22

Then

Ex 24:9-11

Then 1 John 4:12

Then 1 Cor 10:4

Then understand the following

Psalm 110:1
Luke 1:43
John 20:28

Sorry I have not written it all out again, I have written it out too many times already
 

phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,260
2,111
113
51
#4
''..."I will not believe it until I... put my finger where the nails were"...'' John 20:25

When Thomas checked them out for himself, he responded, '"My Lord and my God!"' (v. 28).

quote]


Read
Ex 23:20-22

Then

Ex 24:9-11

Then 1 John 4:12

Then 1 Cor 10:4

Then understand the following

Psalm 110:1
Luke 1:43
John 20:28

Sorry I have not written it all out again, I have written it out too many times already
Wonderful words of Scripture LBG,

But I suspect you have posted them in the wrong thread, did you actually read what this thread is about. But thnk you for posting Scripture :) :) :)
 
M

Molly71

Guest
#5
Thanks for the Alligator story. That is a very powerful representation of how God treasures us and how sometimes the battles we struggle with will leave behind the "protective scars of God"