in an eager attempt to break the religious status quo with our six1 staff, we sat around in silence for a chunk of time anticipating the voice of the Lord. it was during this time that i had a very sweet conversation with God that went something like this…

 
(picture of Jesus, with scars)
 
me: God, why didn't You heal Jesus completely? Why did you leave Him with scars when You very well could have made Him completely complete?
God: as a reminder.
me: don't mean to get sassy here, but i don't think Jesus needed a reminder of the hell He just went through. (pun intended)
God: as a reminder for you, my dear.
me: oh. 
 
then i read this: Luke 24:38-39, "and He said to them, "why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? see my hands and my feet, that it is I Myself. touch Me, and see.
 
me: "touch Me and see?" you don't have to touch something to see it.
God: sometimes you have to touch something in order for it to touch you. 
me: (stunned silence)
 
sometimes you have to touch something in order for it to touch you
 

when the disciples went to touch** the scars of the resurrected Jesus, they ended up being touched by Jesus. why? because it takes two to tango. it's physics (or something). when you are touching someone they are touching you back. simple…yet profound.

Jesus' scars remind me of what He's done for me. but it's in the moments that i reach out to touch those scars that i'm left with a tranformed Spirit. you can't spend time in the presence of God and be left unchanged. it's just not in His nature. now, it might be in ours to change back or to doubt the transformation and live from the 'pre-touched' place. but isn't that why He left Jesus scarred in the first place? 

to remind us that it's okay to reach out and touch the unbelievable so that we can be restored to a place of belief? to remind us that there's healing power in the scar tissue of our Savior? 

my job description as a Follower entails bringing the touch of God to all. and believe you me, dear reader. my touch is meaningless without those scars. 

much Love.

*here is touchy-feely (part 1): http://ohafricahowilovethee.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/touchy-feely-part-1/

**i find it interesting that we give thomas such a hard time about wanting to touch Jesus' scars as proof, when Jesus encourages the other disciples to touch Him…