Apr | 08 | Wincing & Wounded

Key Word:- GRACE

Title:- Wincing & Wounded

Proverbs 18:19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city

Truth without grace, is a sword, a hammer, and a fire; yes, truth without grace, is a burning, breaking piercing. The person struck with such truth is often left wincing and wounded, bleeding out their life. Friends I tell you, the sharp cutting pain of such truth, wielded without grace, may put people on their knees, but like Malchus of old, they will have been so wounded, that their receptacle for hearing faith just might have been damaged forever!

People hurt in this way are often so consumed with their pain and their shame, that their anger and seen deformation, often keeps them from any further hearing! Remember that truth though a beautiful thing, is like a sharp and shining sword and it should rarely be wielded by amateurs; especially amateurs in pain.

In the garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus was arrested, Peter, in protective love and passionate anger, had taken out his sword and had in the ensuing foray, delivered a glancing blow to the head of Malchus and taken off his ear. You will remember as well friends, that although Jesus was no doubt exhausted by the passing of that long and torturous night, and fearful of the great mountain of sorrow that was yet to fall upon Him, He nonetheless still called for a ‘time out’ to clear up the mess of his beloved Peter. Jesus took time in the darkness and shouting, to both find the ear of Malchus and to fix it back on to the side of his head! Passion and truth had caused a wound, now grace and truth would heal it and Malchus would never forget it! Do you see that? Do you hear me?

We must not aspire to be like Peter or Paul, Elijah or Deborah, nor any other great Biblical character. No! We must put on Christ; who is so full of grace and truth that He used his last moment of liberty, to both love and to heal a man sent to arrest Him. ‘Grace and Truth’ are better lawyers than ‘Wincing and Wounded.’ They always have been.

Listen:- And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

Pray:- Gracious God, O loving Father, let your grace drip like oil from me today. Amen.