The past two days I took a good look at my scars. I have them on four toes from bunion surgery and 3 on my breasts from lumpectomies and cancer removal. Looking into videos for Ravi Zacharias after hearing of his death last evening, I found Naomi Zacharias speaking at the Liberty University Convocation on YouTube. She spoke about her task at RZIM [Ravi Zacharias International Ministry], heading their ministry to the sex trafficked. I’ll share what the Spirit brought to mind this morning, putting my thoughts together from all this. Note: I’m using the new WordPress Editor so forgive me while I’m learning the new tech!

Psalm 100:3 Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and ^[a]not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Naomi noted that individual means that which cannot be changed or divided. We are individually made by the Lord God, created for His plans and purposes, so we should be an individual; not trying to be like someone else. We also should take other people as the individual they are.

Matthew 5:45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

God’s love is personal for each individual. It’s also impartial because He sends good things like rain and sunshine to the just and the unjust. This tells me we need to not be judgemental. Naomi posed the question: “If a prostitute came into your church, would she be welcomed as a child of God or shunned and held in her sins?” (I kind of paraphrased what she said). We want the lost, hurting, messed up to come into the fold and find Jesus, but are we ready to take them “just as I am”, filthy, dirty, smelly…foul language, addictions and all?

This led me to the next passage:

Luke 17:6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

John 20:24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”…

The day Jesus showed up in the Disciples’ midst:

²⁷ Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” ²⁸ And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, ^[f]“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

All NKJ Scriptures from Bible Gateway

This brings me back to the observation of my scars. This morning referring to my scars I said, “The tracks of my trials remind me You are faithful!” Jesus paid the full price for our healing. Jesus our Lord and Holy Spirit hear our prayers and pray with us. (as the Bible says, Jesus is ever interceding for us at the Throne of God) Healing is a tough subject because we’ve heard of miracles happening and people instantly healed. Then there are those who are healed by doctors; medicine, therapies, surgeries…and we wonder why things happen the way they do.

We see faith as something we need more of. Sometimes we think we need to “muster up” our faith. Well, God gives us the first mustard seed of faith when we first believe. Faith only grows as it’s tested and we see the faithfulness of God in our trials and troubles. God doesn’t put those things on us, but may allow them. [see John 10:10] Jesus has a new heavenly body, but it still has the scars from the nail holes and the spear in His side. These show the price paid for our salvation and all that accompanies it; overcoming power. In Revelation we read that the Saints overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony and did not love their lives to the death. My scars remind me of the Lord’s faithfulness to heal; I’ve had doctors and nurses remark how well I healed from my surgeries. It’s a good testimony of the grace I have in my body because of Jesus’ provision and faithfulness.

One last thought that Naomi reinforced: there’s no sacred and secular in our destinies from God. When we belong to Jesus, every part of our lives is dedicated to Him. Wherever you are, you are a missionary; on a mission to bring God’s kingdom to your part of this earth. The person who needs what you have is probably sitting right next to you!

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I leave you to soldier on in the life God has given you. May you recognize the weapons of warfare that are not carnal that Apostle Paul spoke of in Ephesians 6 and the talents, gifts and abilities you’ve been endowed with from Father God. Use them well! Shalom dear ones!