Scandalous...

I (David) just finished a book called Scandalous, The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus, by D.A. Carson.  I intended to read it all over Easter weekend, but it was to heavy to read lightly.  I love books that make me process.  In the last chapter he quotes a poem written by Edward Shillito that I thought was amazing and worth a blog.  Shillito wrote this poem from the viewpoint of the maimed and suffering British soldiers returning from WWI.

Jesus of the Scars

If we have never sought, we seek Thee now;
Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars;
We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow;
We must have Thee, O Jesus of the Scars.

The heavens frighten us; they are too calm;
In all the universe we have no place.
Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm?
Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars we claim Thy grace.

If when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near,
Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine;
We know today what wounds are; have no fear;
Show us Thy Scars; we know the countersign.

The other gods were strong, but Thou wast weak;
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.