"Those dear tokens of His passion still His dazzling body bears, Cause of endless exultation to His ransomed worshipers. With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture Gaze we on those glorious scars!
"Yea, amen, let all adore Thee, high on Thine eternal throne; Savior, take the pow'r and glory, claim the kingdom as Thine own. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone."
People have scars. Some of these scars are unseen scars of the mind and emotions, but many people have physical, visible scars. These still-healing or healed wounds may be marks from accidents, falls, or serious surgery, wounds that may bring to mind the trouble and distress endured in receiving them. The apostle Paul wrote about the scars he received because of his faith in Christ: "I bear on my body the marks of Jesus" (Galatians 6:17b). Still today many believers around the world bear marks of persecution just as the apostle did.
Our Lord Jesus bore scars on His body. He was beaten and crowned with thorns. His hands and feet were nailed to the cross, and His side was pierced by a spear. He suffered those wounds so we would be healed from the eternally deadly wounds of sin. When Jesus rose from the dead, His glorified body still had scars. His hands and feet bore the scars of the nails, and the wound from the spear thrust was in His side. Jesus' scars provided proof that He was the crucified Messiah who had risen from the dead. The living Savior invited His troubled and doubting disciples to see and touch His nail-scarred hands and feet, telling them, "Touch Me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have" (Luke 24:39b). The risen Lord was alive, in the flesh. He was not a ghost!
Thomas, who had not yet seen the risen Savior, demanded proof of his own. He wanted to see and touch those real, physical scars. Jesus invited the touch, but He also blessed those who had not seen Him but still believed. We are the blessed followers who see our risen Lord only by faith. We believe, and one day we too will see those scars. When Jesus returns in glory on the Last Day His dazzling body will still bear "those dear tokens of His passion," and we will gaze with rapturous joy on "those glorious scars." With saints and angels we will cry out in praise to the Lamb of God: "You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation" (Revelation 5:9b). We will praise the Lamb because we know what His scars mean. By those wounds we were healed.
WE PRAY: Dear Savior, I look forward to Your return. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, "Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending," which is number 336 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. What kind of things did Jesus endure from people even before He went to the cross?
2. How did it impact Thomas to see and touch Jesus after His death and resurrection? Do you think you would have required similar proof in his situation?
3. We live in a skeptical age. How do you talk about Jesus' resurrection to someone who doesn't think anyone can come alive after death?
Today's Bible Readings: Ezekiel 22-23 1 Peter 1
To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select "Save Link As" or "Save Target As" or "Download Linked File As"