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Scars and Memories

We all have scars on our bodies. Tiny cuts that didn’t heal. Surgeries to heal us but left us marked. Surgeries that delivered new life into the world.  Infections that led to scarring. These blemishes on the skin are more than just our body’s healing, they are gateways to our memories. A physical trauma that can bring back sometimes painful, sometimes challenging, sometimes exciting memories.

I was getting dressed for work this morning and looked at my wrist. I have a new scar there. It was from our Easter Celebration. We were packing up the kids in the car to come home and I sliced my wrist/arm on a solar panel light leaving our grandparents house. I look at the scar and remember the quick pain but can remember in detail the day and the fun we had. To quote Jimmy Buffett, “It’s a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling”. That was a great memory.

I have another scar on my head. When I was young, we had a neighbor kid who was pretty bad. He hated my brother and I for being Jewish.  He called us “Dirty Jews”. I asked my mum about it and said I didn’t understand because I took a shower that morning. One day, he threw a brick and hit me in the head and cracked my head open. My brother picked me up and ran me home, covered in blood and crying.

I will never forget either of those moments. They help to remember my family, that moment and help me to be a better person.

Scars are not just physical. Most if not all of us carry deep emotional and spiritual scars. We have been wronged by someone. We have been broken by someone or our own actions. We have committed sin and let that sin direct us in future actions. We look at the world through these scarred eyes and it colors our future. These wounds are much harder to heal than the physical ones. It takes patience, love, counseling, support, prayer, and more to move on. Even then, those wounds may be healed but the scars remain.

The saving grace is that all of our scars and trespasses are forgiven.

“I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.” – Isaiah 43:25

“Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” – Hebrews 10:17

“Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” – Micah 7:18-19

Remembering sins no more. Not staying angry. Compassion. Tread our sins underfoot. Hurl iniquities into the sea. These are powerful words. These sins are no longer scars. They are forgiven and gone. We are like new in Christ. We have been healed. We don’t need to spend the time and energy letting these emotional and spiritual scars interrupt our lives any longer. What a freeing and glorious concept.

I am a realist. I know that while Christ forgives my sins and heals my scars, I have to allow him to do it. I have to let my mind rest and know that they are forgiven. I don’t have to look into my soul and see the pain anymore. That is the hardest parts. The scar on my wrist and on my head will be there until I die. They will remind me of where I was and what I have become. I don’t need those reminders of my past sins and they haven’t happened in the eyes of God. I know humanity and the law of men is different, but for my eternal life, I am forgiven and my scars erased.

Are you ready to let your scars be vanished from your heart and spirit? Are you ready to accept HIS forgiveness?

I am willing (with the help of God)