Scars of Love

Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" John 20:28

Thomas refused to believe the testimony of the other ten disciples that Christ had risen from the dead. We may criticize Thomas for his unbelief, but isn't that where we all start? At a point of disbelief? Someone shares the gospel of the risen Savior with us and we find it too hard to believe. Or we read the gospel account for ourselves and still waiver in doubt. I find it interesting that the proof Thomas demanded was the wounds of Jesus: His nail-scarred hands and His pierced side. One can only surmise why Thomas made such a particular request, but it does reveal to us that the wounds of Christ are still visible in His resurrected body. Upon seeing them Thomas proclaimed Jesus' deity: Lord and God. One day those of us who love Him will see the scars of His sacrifice for our sins. And when we behold those scars of love we, like Thomas, may cry "My Lord and my God!".

Body Building

"but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love."

Ephesians 4:15-16

It is a mystery how Christians together function as Christ's body. It is supernatural. He spiritually indwells each Christian, and when those individuals join together, the result is the body of Christ. Without proper nourishment, the body will remain immature. Nourishment comes from the word of God. His truth is necessary to grow from infancy into adulthood. But it always must be accompanied by love. Truth without love can be judgmental, and weakens the body. But love for one another, with a sincere desire to see each other grow in truth, builds up the body and roots it to the head, which is Christ. 

Christ's Body

"Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it."

1 Corinthians 12:27

The body of Christ is alive, and if you're a Christian you're part of it. His Spirit lives in you and works through you. You are not an accident or an afterthought. You are unique, with attributes and gifts like no one else. God has a lot to say about the body in 1 Corinthians 12. It's good to do a review of that chapter every now and then, just to reaffirm how each of us is an important member of Christ's body.