"I bear on my body the marks of Jesus"

        "Finally, let no one [thing] cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers, Amen." Galatians 6:17-18  

        "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."  2 Corinthians 5:8-9

        “When I am afraid, I will trust in You.” Psalm 56:3

        Today, I found myself declaring these verses after receiving disappointing news from my doctor.  My pelvis fractures have healed crooked.  I am not entirely sure what this means quite yet other than it sure explains why the pain has continued to be extreme at times!  God's timing is so good though.  Right before my appointment I was suddenly struck with a huge desire to thank the Lord simply that I can walk.  Later He reminded me of that "simple" thought as I battled with immense frustration along with concern for what this means for the future.

        Something I am continuing to learn and revel in is the seeming incongruity of grieving the current battle while staying strong and being armed to fight the very battle you’re grieving.  I mean, I don’t know about you but I sure wouldn’t want a soldier with eyes full of tears to be handling a weapon!  Yet, living a life of faith that’s so often what we are called to do:  be humbled and broken while strengthened and alert.  

        Often I’ve not allowed myself to grieve.  I remember several years ago I was on a walk at ten o’clock at night (One of my favorite times to walk much to many’s dismay!) talking with a friend who was encouraging me to grieve. I thought she was nuts!  No one had died for goodness sakes!  But a season, a remarkable season, had ended and I missed it greatly.  I thought of that conversation today as I dialogued with my doctor through many tears (Like the major raccoon-eyes-for-the-rest-of-the-day kind of tears!): “I don’t want to only get back to normal living.  I want to get back to MY normal living.  Will that happen?”  I don’t remember what she said other than she spoke equally of the challenge that was clear in the x-rays and of God’s power and authority in our lives. 

        Later, as I soaked in the depth of the above verses, I visualized the “marks of Jesus” on my pelvic bones, my back, my neck bones, and all the muscles throughout. His blood touching the “damaged” and “misplaced” parts of my body.  

        The Greek word for “marks” in Galatians is stigma, meaning “a mark pricked in or branded upon the body.”  One of my favorite online resources, www.blueletterbible.org continues to state this about the word: “To ancient oriental usage, slaves and soldiers bore the name or the stamp of their master or commander branded or pricked into their bodies to indicate what master or general they belonged to...”

  

        Isaiah 53:5 tells us “by his wounds we are healed.” The Hebrew word for “healed” in Isaiah 53 is rapha, meaning to heal.  One of my favorite names of God is Jehovah Rapha because He has healed me from so much already!

        What a powerful look at Old Testament and New Testament scriptures working together!  I am a slave (Romans 6:22) and a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3-4) for Christ.  Who says ladies can’t be soldiers, right?! He has branded His mark upon me.  He has healed me in countless ways.  He will continue to heal me.  For He is the Great Physician.  With man, much is impossible.  With God, ALL things are possible (Matthew 19:26)!