Precious Scars

Sin leaves scars, but like trees touched by drought, God sends His healing to make our scars into things of beauty when we give everything to Him. I would love to hear your comments! 

2MefromHim Devotionals

Blessed is the one…whose delight is in the law of the Lord…That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

Rain. Glorious, life-giving rain, poured from the sky greening our mountains and growing flowers not seen in years. The landscape bloomed, drinking deep of the moisture denied during previous years of drought, fires, and dust storms.

As we traveled throughout the summer, the countryside flowered, verdant and vibrant, with new life. Accustomed as we were to varying shades of brown, the change in color made everything unfamiliar and new—but there were scars. Ravaged trees, unable to recover from years of scant moisture sent stark gray limbs skyward like ghostly reminders of former glory, their leafless spires pointing to grandeur now departed.

Drought, like forest fires, leaves its mark, ensuring we don’t forget what has passed.

Half-dead trees remind me of the effects of sin on my life. When I fall away from God’s precepts and take my own path, it scars in my heart. Confession of my sin opens the door to the forgiveness of my heavenly Father, but fails to erase the consequences of past mistakes. The memories of my mistakes stand like dead branches on a green tree, reminding me that I cannot thrive without the daily ministrations of the Holy Spirit to my heart and mind.

An ax may remove the dead branch from a tree, but it cannot erase the stump, the reminder that a death occurred. Like tree roots soak up precious water and send it to every branch, my spirit is like a sponge requiring frequent and prolonged time in God’s word and prayer to stay soft and pliable in His hands.

God wants the scars from my wanderings to become a treasured reminder of His forgiveness and healing. Though new, green growth camouflages what others see, it should never make me forget God’s healing touch. Remembering past failure is necessary to prevent further sin and to enable me share the forgiveness of Jesus Christ with others who search for healing.

I must drink deep from the goodness of God, reaching out in love to those unfamiliar with His grace. The abundance I receive can water the seeds in someone else’s heart so they may flower in God’s rich forgiveness. When God uses my trials to heal another, my unsightly scars become precious reminders of God’s grace.

© Copyright by Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, August 6, 2015

About the author:

Norma Gail’s contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, released in 2014. She is a Bible study leader, and writes devotionals for ChristianDevotions.us, StitchesthruTime blog, and “The Secret Place.” She belongs to American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. She is married and has two adult children.

Connect with Norma:

Website: www.normagail.org

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQbZIoC_JSE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaGail

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LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/norma-gail-thurston-holtman/42/71a/3b2

Book Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Land-My-Dreams-Norma-Gail/dp/1941103170

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864?ean=9781941103173

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas Bookstore: http://store.lpcbooks.com/product/land-of-my-dreams/