Carving Your Initials

[Chad]

Carving Your Initials - May 23, 2006

"The Lord... heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:2-3

Peggy and Bill invested their lives in others. They worked tirelessly defending children in the court system who had no one else to help them.

One clear, sunny day around noon, their small plane took off from the local airport. Within five minutes, as they were still flying low, the plane took a dive and crashed right onto a major downtown city street. It was a miracle that the plane didn't land on any cars. Yet it was so very sad that this wonderful couple's lives were so suddenly and prematurely snuffed out.

Many years ago, at a renewal retreat weekend, Peggy had left a gift on my pillow. It was a small unfinished wooden heart, like you'd find in craft stores. Printed in a black marker was "SK + JC". Sally Kennedy plus Jesus Christ. Our initials in a heart, signifying that we love each other.

That miniature wooden heart is still on a shelf in my room. I look at if often, and think of the love Peggy had for Jesus, and for others. I think of how my initials and Jesus' are carved in eternity.

Carving initials in a tree scars the outer bark, but the tree survives and the initials are there for the life of the tree. Likewise, when we have cuts, our skin heals. Our bodies are made by God in such a way that they heal when wounded.

Wounds of the heart are more difficult, though. When our memories are scarred, only Jesus can heal them. We may keep growing, yet the scar remains until the Lord heals us.

The good news is that not only is Jesus able to heal, He is more than willing. Praise God for His goodness! He is the one to remember, when it comes to initials being carved on our hearts.

Contributed by Sally I. Kennedy: boca7565@bellsouth.net Sally is the author of "52 Little Parables from Ireland" Creation House Press

 

[hadirfuss]

Hey Chad,

"The good news is that not only is Jesus able to heal, He is more than willing. Praise God for His goodness!" Amen to that! We have a healing Jesus!

Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

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

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6 (NIV)


God Bless
hadirfuss

 

[stephen]

Carving your initials.......that indeed takes me a long way back. I guess most children growing up in pastoral surroundings will have done that. We try to leave our mark even when young.

We can be so glad that Jesus put 'His' mark upon us. Over years there will have been other marks on the heart. Scars indeed. But the mark J.C. still shines through.

Jesus is the healer of broken hearts, He mends the broken dreams, He can pick up the threads of a broken life and weave them together again. To the soul He brings peace and joy, a friend indeed He'll be, the healer of broken hearts, is Jesus of Galilee.

Yes. Trust Jesus today dear reader and you will discover the 'reality' of a new life.

 

[jiggyfly]

Good devotional Chad,

Jesus is the healer of broken hearts, He mends the broken dreams, He can pick up the threads of a broken life and weave them together again. To the soul He brings peace and joy, a friend indeed He'll be, the healer of broken hearts, is Jesus of Galilee.

Sweet little rhyme stephen.

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Thanks for the great post, Chad. Jesus' "initials" were carved on the bodies of the Apostle Paul and the other martyrs by their persecutors.

"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world...Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus." (Gal 6:14,17).


SLE

 

[jiggyfly]

Thanks for the great post, Chad. Jesus' "initials" were carved on the bodies of the Apostle Paul and the other martyrs by their persecutors.
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world...Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus." (Gal 6:14,17).
SLE

I did not know that they carved Jesus' initials into the bodies of some of the believers. Where did you get this info SLE. Could you post it? What were the Initials?

 

[SpiritLedEd]

I did not know that they carved Jesus' initials into the bodies of some of the believers. Where did you get this info SLE. Could you post it? What were the Initials?

Jiggyfly,

I meant it figuratively, not literally.


SLE

 

[jiggyfly]

Jiggyfly,
I meant it figuratively, not literally.
SLE

Oh, OK sorry, thought I was fixin to learn something new.LOL.

 

[stephen]

Carving your initials.......that indeed takes me a long way back. I guess most children growing up in pastoral surroundings will have done that. We try to leave our mark even when young.
We can be so glad that Jesus put 'His' mark upon us. Over years there will have been other marks on the heart. Scars indeed. But the mark J.C. still shines through.
Jesus is the healer of broken hearts, He mends the broken dreams, He can pick up the threads of a broken life and weave them together again. To the soul He brings peace and joy, a friend indeed He'll be, the healer of broken hearts, is Jesus of Galilee.
Yes. Trust Jesus today dear reader and you will discover the 'reality' of a new life.

"the mark J.C still shines through". Amen. This is an expression of my love for the Master. I have, by His grace endevoured to instill His ways, by prayer and practise, into my life.

In the seaside resorts of the U.K. you can buy a 'stick of rock'. This is a length of minty sweet which bears the name of the resort throughout. Wherever you break the stick, the name of the resort is there.
In a similar way I trust that the Name of Jesus runs through my life. I pray that whatever I may encounter, whatever trial, temptation I may face, the name of Jesus will always be apparent. I have put it there. By His grace.

Years back "I have decided to follow Jesus" in a Billy Graham Crusade here in the U.K. We are exorted to make our calling and our election, our choice, sure and certain.

We live in tatoo days. The origins of such are in idolatory. But were I to indulge, and I never will, it would be 'Jesus'

The words "the mark J.C. still shines through" do not have a physical experience, but one that I have put upon myself. The Apostle said "I bring my body into subjection lest I myself become a castaway"

The Psalmist said "If I ever forget thee let my right hand forget its cunning, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I ever forget thee"

Human expressions of love for God, His courts, His ways.


God Bless