Wounds.

“It was Christ’s own body that brought our sins to the cross, so that all of us, dead to sin, could live in accord with God’s will.
By Christ’s wounds you are healed.” – 1 Peter 2:24 

Wounds.
We frequently think about how God hears our cries when we are hurting. It is comforting to trust and believe this.  

But sometimes we wonder, “God, do you see me, I mean, really see me? Do you see us?” And frequently we wonder if other people see us. In fact, Scripture often speaks to how God sees human pain and suffering. God saw the oppression and affliction of the people enslaved in Egypt and acted for their freedom. Mary sings that God looked with favor on her as God’s lowly servant. Jesus looks at the disciples and looks upon the crowds and sees their needs. 

Lent begins with the Psalmist’s prayer, “Hide your face from my sins.” (Psalm 51). And yes, there are certain things that we wish God did not see. The promise, however, is that God sees each and every human being for who we are: created in the very image of God. This is the only way God can see us! And yet, too often, we as human beings do not see each other, let alone look at one another as precious children of God. There are people we ignore and discount their presence and value. This is especially true when we do not want to acknowledge the pain, the suffering, the wounds that others bear in this changing and chaotic time. Do we see the wounds of God’s people as God does? 

Some of you know that at the end of January I underwent knee replacement surgery. It was just a half-knee. I now have a unicompartmental knee, or a “uni” as they call it. Genetics and years of martial arts training finally took their toll. I knew it was time. 

Knee replacement leaves a pretty impressive incision line running right over the center of the knee. So, when the coverings were removed the day after surgery, I didn’t dare look at the wound; I knew it would be Frankenstein-like and hard to look at. But little by little, I became more comfortable taking a quick glance and owning this changed appearance in my body. Then I discovered I could briefly touch the wound. It hurt. More recently, I have even been able to tend the wound and am discovering that with time, I am beginning to see healing.  

Many of you may have had similar feelings after surgeries or injuries we had no choice in receiving. I recognize the grief you may carry because of it. 

In the past few weeks, I’ve learned that my simple wound is teaching me something about opening my eyes to see the wounds of others in our communities and churches and country right now: church members, rostered leaders, farmers, refugees, asylum-seekers, indigenous neighbors, federal workers, veterans, elders, children, people who are LGBTQIA+, those with differing abilities, neighbors of other faiths, people seeing their financial security disappear, businesses going belly-up.  

Right now, people bear many and various kinds of wounds. And if my little scar has taught me anything, it is that we must not turn away from places of pain today. Scripture reminds us, God heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147). God saw people’s pain and acted.  

So, the first healing we would pray for is that God would open our eyes to see Jesus, and especially the wounds of Christ that we consider this Lent and Holy Week. Seeing Jesus, we also see those his love embraces from the cross. Seeing, we then act with care, concern, courage, and commitment. Friends, the world needs our open eyes and heart and hands as never before. I walk with you in love and prayer. May Christ crucified and risen be life and healing for you and your congregation as we live for the healing of our world.