Faith Through the Journey

“Make sure no outsider who now follows God ever has occasion to say, ‘God put me in second class. I don’t really belong.’ And make sure that no physically mutilated person is ever made to think, ‘I’m damaged goods. I don’t really belong.’ For God says to the mutilated who keep My Sabbaths and choose what delights Me and keep a firm grip on My covenant. I’ll provide them an honored place in My family and within My city, even more honored than that of sons and daughters. I’ll confer permanent honors on them that will never be revoked.” (Isaiah 56:3-5, The Message)

I don’t have to look very hard or very far to see the broken places in my body. I have a 6-inch scar on my abdomen that has been opened and closed 6 times to remove/correct the damage Crohn’s disease has done to my digestive system. Last year I received some new scars from cancer surgeries. My tongue was cut to remove the cancerous tumor, and then my neck was cut to remove 42 lymph nodes, 1 of which was cancerous. These are permanent marks that will never go away.

For every person who has had injuries/surgeries, these places will remain that way. I’ve thought more than once that I’m “damaged goods” because I no longer have original equipment and my body functions much differently than it used to. These words of Isaiah give hope and comfort to everyone who has been broken in some way. Even the scars that aren’t visible to others are known by God Himself who sees those hidden “scars”. He certainly doesn’t see them as off-putting but identifies those who bear them as worthy of the same honor as those who have visible scars.

After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus Himself bore scars in His hands and side. In fact, He told His disciples to look at His scars! They were the marks by which His identity was confirmed! He did not see Himself as damaged goods because the scars in His body were there on our behalf. His death and resurrection bought forgiveness and life eternal to everyone who willingly received it.

Our scars do not offend God, nor does He see us as damaged goods. In fact, just the opposite is true! Isaiah the prophet made this clear, that God gives us “permanent honors that will never be revoked”!