a GOD who has scars

Two weeks ago for Resurrection Sunday our pastor preached on the last chapter of Luke (you can listen to the sermon here). In it, Christ shows the disciples his hands and his feet.

Stacy, my pastor, was quick to point out the significance of Jesus doing this because his hands and feet bore the marks of the nails from his crucifiction. Stacy said that when he reads this passage he sometimes meditates on the importance of the scars. His meditaion and application led me to meditate on the same for the past few weeks:

Why is it that when we think of our glorified bodies we imagine them as perfect? Unblemished? Beautiful? Sometimes when I'm struggling with vanity, I daydream about the day when stretch marks cease to exist and pimples don't happen, much less leave lasting impressions and Scripture tells us that our bodies will be filled with glory and immortal.

If heaven and the new Jerusalem is indeed perfection and filled with the glory of God, why does the God/man still have his scars? Because Jesus is the lamb that was slain, once for all time. His scars aren't imperfection, they are glory. His scars constantly testify to Emmanuel who offered up his life to be a ransom for many.

"See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet." Luke 24:39-40

Disabled...

I was reading some blog posts and started following links (always educational) and ran across this blog about the current consequences of prenatal testing for disabilities, specifically Down Syndrome. If you haven't read it, I would recommend it.

That's not the blog I'm pondering about right now... I then found this entry which sparked a piercing conviction. It's discussing why Jesus did so many physical healings and yet never affirmed anyone as being in a perfect condition. I have to admit that I have had the exact same questions as mentioned in the post and found it a VERY beneficial read.

This got me to thinking about a lot of things, but primarily about these statements:

" Everyone, except the Son of God, was and is marked by sin. And that is infinitely worse than any disability."

"Sin is ALWAYS much worse than disability."

I have to honestly say that I rarely live as though it's worse to be a sinner without Christ than be a quadrapalegic . I most certainly never live as though it's far better to be a Down Syndrome adult with Jesus than a brilliant scholar/ exec/ strong woman without the grace of God.