Remember The Scars

Remember The Scars “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 Sometimes we just don’t take the time to think about the sacrifice that Jesus made that day on the cross for us. I remember a story about a respected general who fought for the south in the Civil War. His name was General John Gordon. After the war, he was running for the United States Senate, but a man who had served under him during the war, had become angry about one of his political stances and was fighting General Gordon’s bid to become a senator. During the convention, this man angrily stomped down the aisle with his anti-Gordon vote in hand. As he saw General Gordon sitting on the platform, he noticed how his once handsome face was disfigured with the scars of battle—marks of his willingness to suffer and bleed for a cause he believed in. He was suddenly filled with remorse, and overcome with emotion, said, “It’s no use: I can’t do it. Here’s my vote for the General.” Then, turning to the General, he said, “Forgive me, General, I had forgotten the scars.” What a difference it makes in our lives when we remember the scars. With so many things to distract us, we don’t often take time each day to reflect on what Jesus went through on the cross for us, but when we are tempted to stray, the cross and the scars remind us of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and it draws us back to him. We need to take the time each day to reflect and remember the scars that Jesus endured for each of us, and then thank him for suffering the way he did for us, and saving us from our sins. I would encourage each of you to take a moment right now to pause and “remember the scars.” My Daily Devotional Volume III July 28 Robert William Brock, Jr.