Those Costly Wounds

And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? And he shall answer,Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” (Zech. 13:6)

My husband admitted to me that sometimes, after showering, he pauses to look at the many scars on his body from the recent major surgery he experienced, when five arteries in his heart were replaced. Not just the obvious scar on his chest, but also the numerous ones on his legs, from which they harvested the veins to replace the clogged arteries. As he looks at them, he says, he remembers all the pain and emotional trauma he suffered during those days in the hospital. But at the same time, he realizes now the added days of life that were given to him, because of what he went through. He remembers what it cost; and he realizes what was gained.

The words from the text above from Zechariah were either spoken contemporarily or prophetically, probably both. Quite understandably, they’ve come to be associated with our Lord, Jesus Christ, who indeed was “wounded in the house of [His] friends.” John says, “He came unto his own, but his own received him not” (1:11). And we have every reason to believe those ghastly wounds He received over two thousand years ago are still visible, either as perpetual wounds or visible scars (Jno. 20:24-28; Rev. 5:6-12). If so, would you think it irreverent or farfetched if I speculated on what I think He might remember when He looks at those wounds? I realize when you’re speaking of One who knows the end from the beginning, the word “remember” seems highly irrelevant, but I do know from His Word that God uses the term in dealing with us, even going so far as to leave markers to remind himself of something. “And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember…”(Gen.9:16). So, if you’ll allow me to specaulate…

I do know that two of His wounds were in the palms of His hands; and I read in Isaiah 49:15-16, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands…” God says about His people, He can’t forget them because they’re an integral part of Him. He only has to look at His hands to see them. And you may think me proud, but I can’t help but believe that when Christ looks at His wounds, He sees me. I’m the reason He carries them, and I’m part of the “joy that was set before him,” when he “endured the cross” (Heb. 12:1). Like my husband, He remembers the cost; and He realizes the gain.

And, O, child of God, if it’s true that He still has and looks on those wounds and remembers, He thinks of you too. That’s why there’s not a chance in this world or the next that we won’t be with Him where He is for all eternity. He can’t forget us, and to deny us would be to deny Himself. “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” (2 Tim. 2:13). Paul said of himself, “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus” (Gal. 6:17). And I believe He still bears the marks of us.

Five bleeding wounds He bears,

Received on Calvary;

They pour effectual prayers;

They strongly plead for me.

“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,

“Forgive him, O forgive,” they cry,

“Nor let that ransomed sinner die!”

                                    Charles Wesley