The Wound Is Where The Light Gets In

I had the joy of playing a concert with my buddy Mike Weaver of Big Daddy Weave Saturday night in Johnson City, TN.  Mike and I met when I was 18 years old as we were ‘randomly assigned’ to be roommates in college.  That was half my life ago.  At age 36, standing beside my friend on the platform Saturday I thought about the days we would lead worship together at our chapel services and stay up late listening to a mixture of Vineyard worship songs, Toto and Bruce Hornsby. We sure did laugh a lot.  He is still one of the greatest friends I’ve ever had.  When the Lord called me to leave school to go plant a church in Orange Beach, one of the hardest things was leaving friends like Mike.  Although I knew I was saying ‘yes’ to what the Lord wanted me to do, there were still many days and nights I felt lonely or forgotten as I watched from a distance the cool things going on in the lives of many of my friends.  Maybe you’ve been there before… (Click here to read my article on The Power of Saying Yes)

On this night in TN we were joined with another of Mike’s friends, Jason Gray.  I had never met Jason before but had heard his music on the radio and knew his reputation for being a great storyteller.  Jason shared some of the story to his song, The Wound is Where the Light Gets In and my heart was pierced by its weight and its truth.  I recommend it to you.  It’s on his new album by the same name (Here’s a Link).  One line in the song says ‘Maybe I’m naive but in every scar I see a place where love is trying to break in…’  It takes some maturity and some grace to see that the areas where we have been hurt are places where God is trying to reach us even deeper.  When you’re lonely and broken and watching ‘everyone else’ succeed it can be difficult to realize that God is doing something in you that is not only important for you but will be vital for the other people He is going to use you to minister to in the days ahead.  As Jason shared out of his hurt and pain, I could see the light beginning to come into people in the room who had determined their pain was nothing more than the cruelty of life and a stain on their story.  I watched as people began to consider that perhaps God could bring purpose to their pain and beauty to their ashes.  Of course He can, He’s the redeemer… that’s who He is and that’s what He does.

Right after that, Mike shared his story of the song Redeemed, likely one of the most well received songs he’s ever written. It’s an amazing song. (Here’s a link to it)  Many don’t realize ‘Redeemed’ was birthed out of his own battle with self-hatred and perceived failures.  It was birthed out of the wound.  A wound, that he has allowed the light to shine into for years now and God is now using to bring hope and life to so many others.  Such is redemption.  God walks to the back of the store and hands the clerk the receipt that is stained with the blood of His own precious Son and says ‘I’m here to redeem the one I purchased… the one that is sitting on the shelf feeling alone and forgotten.’   You may feel forgotten, but you’re not. You may think it’s over, but there’s more.  God is a master at Redeeming. (Click here to read my post on Wildflowers, Broken Dreams and Miracle Chairs)

How ironic that God would remind us of this during a season where day after day we are glued to the TV screen watching the Olympics while the beautiful panoramic camera shots capture the majesty of Rio De Janeiro.  We see the beautiful statue of Jesus on the mountain overlooking the city each day we watch but many don’t realize the name of the statue is Cristo Redentor, Portuguese for Christ, the Redeemer.  I have been there and it is breathtaking.  Rio is a broken city and yet Jesus is ever ready to redeem if they will but allow His light to come in.  The same is true for you and I today.  Jesus is near, positioned with open arms and ready to receive us if we will but allow Him in.  Often we focus so much on the wound that we will not lift our heads to notice the redeemer is near to shine His light in and make all things new. He is for you today.  Trust Him and you’ll see the places you’ve tried to cover are actually the entry points for His love and approval to be poured in.  (Click here to read my post called ‘Don’t Be A Slave In The Promised Land’)

“So if you’re stumbling in the dark and bleeding at the shin, remember the wound is where the light, the wound is where the light, the wound is where the light gets in.” – Jason Gray

Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. – Hosea 6:1 NIV

“Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. 18 For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal. – Job 5:17-18 NIV

…we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. – Titus 2:13-14 NIV