Carved

Walking through the trails the other day...I noticed some trees with names, initials etc carved into the trunks of them.
Hearts with initials inside, others just randomly etched into the flesh of the tree.  First reaction: "awww isn't that sweet." Then "wait!  Isnt that damaging, even harmful to the tree? Carving into the flesh of this living thing?!"  Now, this big, old tree seemed to have grown right past these, let them become part of who it is...though it may have done some damage...if nothing else, it scarred it permenately.

 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;  Isaiah 49:16 
The Lord says we are engraved onto His flesh!  
But that didn't come without a cost...without permenant scarring.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,  and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Our names are carved into Christ's flesh; every lash of the whip, every thorn that was driven into His brow, each nail driven in, left it's mark for the sins we were to commit.
Our names are written on His hands, engraved with a price.  Death!
BUT He did not stay that way ...and like that tree Christ is ALIVE, bearing the scars of us!

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” John 20:24-28

AND do we say..."MY LORD AND MY GOD!"? Are we in awe of what He has done!?

Just like I stood, head tipped back, looking up at the mightiness of that scarred tree....do we stand back in awe....eyes lifted upward, at the mightiness of our Lord and Savior? Humbled by the scars?  Realizing there isn't any way to remove those carvings now...short of destroying that which has been carved....they already tried that with Christ.  He will never be destroyed, so our names are forever "engraved on the palm of His hand."

...I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;  Isaiah 49:15-16 

AMEN!!

Found this beautiful and powerful song while doing this blog....click on the link to listen (no graphics only words)
By His Wounds.   By Steven Curtis Chapman, Brian Littrell, Mac Powell, Mark Hall