This being Passion week, let us turn our thoughts toward the suffering of Christ Jesus. Many have taken time to fast from food, or to fast from some pastime that seems important to them.

But let us also reflect on eternal things. For as believers in Christ Jesus, our eternal state is of utmost importance. We are encouraged to set our minds on eternal things, as opposed to the worries of daily life that attempt to overwhelm us.

Jesus suffered under Pontus Pilate and was Crucified on a sinner’s Cross. He was buried in a tomb belonging to a man named Joseph. Early Sunday morning, the tomb was found empty, and Jesus revealed Himself as Risen from the dead, first to the women.

Mary Magdalene was instructed by the Lord to go tell His Disciples He had risen.

The Disciples were gathered in fear, with the doors shut tight. But the Lord appeared and His first words; Peace to you.

And then He stretched His hands out, and showed them the wounds in His Hands, and the wound in His side. This is so significant as to be recorded for all time in our Holy Scripture.  These Disciples knew what the wounds were from, they were from being nailed to a Cross. Countless thousands have been crucified, as countless have been tortured and put to death in history. But these wounds, and on this man, were of a completely different nature and magnitude.  Though His body was Resurrected, the wounds remained. The wounds reminded, the wounds bore witness of His Suffering and Death.

But Thomas was not there when this happened. Jesus left physically, and then Thomas came back to the room. The Disciples told Him what had just happened. But Thomas replies with doubt;

But it would be another eight days before Thomas would receive his request. For the Bible says, that after eight days Jesus again appeared when all the apostles were assembled.

And the Lord Jesus first turns to Thomas, and says;

“Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.”

And so Jesus taught them, saying;

And so that is us. We have not seen the scars or touched them, or inspected them. But we believe, and look forward to seeing our Savior, the first born of the Resurrection.

Wounded in the house of His friends.

In Heaven, a scene is told about where in we will ask Him, to tell us. And will we tire of hearing the story? I don’t think so. I believe we will want to hear it again and again!

He will have the wounds as a testimony and for all eternity. The only manmade thing in Heaven, is the scars in the body of our Lord.

Our bodies will have no scars, our tears will all be wiped away. But the Lord will still have His scars from the price He paid to redeem the world, at least those who will believe.

And so we look forward to the New Heavens and the New Earth, where dwells only Righteousness. And the faithful saints will have an opportunity to behold and touch the Lord. And we will do this not so we will believe, but because we believe. We will have the privilege of being near Him; love incarnate, and for all eternity we will be with the Lord.