Scars Are Our Badges Of Beauty
On this Valentine’s Day, I wanted to share a sermon God has used to encourage my soul. It is by a very prophetic and wise man of God. His name is Bob Sorge. He knows the depths of suffering and what it means to wait upon the Lord. I highly recommend his books and other sermons you can find on his website (click here).
As we are God’s Bride, today all of us can be encouraged whether single, divorced, remarried, or going through a divorce. The scars of life are the avenue through which God can draw us into a deeper intimacy with Him as Bob Sorge teaches. They do not mar our beauty but rather qualify us or mark us as Christ’s beautified Bride. Do not lose heart as you bear your own cross…these times may be exactly what God is using to beautify you! I know my experience of bearing my own cross both drew me closer to Jesus and beautified my soul qualifying me with greater authority to preach the Good News (Exhibit A: This Website).
Below is a quote from the sermon, “It’s Easy To Assume” (embedded link below quote) that I thought especially encouraging on this Valentine’s Day for those of us with life’s scars:
Everybody is trying to bypass the cross when it becomes an invitation to the most powerful intimacy with the one who is crucified. And, beloved, sometimes God will bring you into a story taking you through a journey where you feel like you are being pulled through a knothole backwards. But is it possible that God is writing something with your life in order to bring you into an identification with the Suffering Savior and into an intimacy with Him? Because Jesus is not looking for a Bride that on the day of his wedding looks at him and says, ‘I love you, but I just don’t relate to that Cross thing.’ … And may it not be on our wedding day that Jesus Christ is the only one with scars. You might have to walk a story to get some scars. – Bob Sorge, “It’s Easy To Assume” (13 minutes, 38 seconds and following)
Amen,
DM,
I read the story of how Jesus turned down the devil’s offer to ‘fly’ off the mountain or the pinnacle of the temple during His 40 day fast.
When I think how easy life could be ‘if only’… I try to be like Jesus & I keep walking & I trust that I should turn down every offer that the devil makes.
Christ has said,’ Ye are clean, every wit ‘… God provides. He has told us to worship no man.
So, with clean hands and a pure heart I can trust Jesus and through his blood have a clear conscience.
It must have been so hard for the Biblical prophets… But they taught me everything I know.
Yes, I have cracks and wounds and hunger and thirst. I was married to my Bible for half of my pain filled marriage… And I gave to God 100%. I wanted my sacrifice to be enough.
Now I am glad for all the friends I have made .. You are among them. If you receive me, you receive Christ. How beautiful is that? I am a woman of grief, but my word is good.
God says he will gather His people. He says we will fall upon each others necks and weep & then He will wipe away our tears & then we shall know fear no more.
I tremble to write this, but I am blessed to have your time. God speed the right!
Thanks, MountainLily!