There is no graft without wounding --- the laying bare and opening up of the inner life of the tree to receive the stranger branch.
--- Andrew Murray, Abide in Christ
Every graft... requires a wound...
The vine... and the branch... they are grafted together... each wounded...
The Vine... His wound righteous...
The branch... its wounds caused by sin... our own... and others...
Every graft... requires a wound...
He... willingly wounded... to make a place for us... in Him...
The wounds we receive... Satan intends for harm... but Father God... Gardener God... He intends them for good...
Every graft... requires a wound...
From before creation... He knew... every graft... requires a wound...
He knew... sin would enter... and wound...
He knew... the only Way... for union with His creation... was by way... of a wound...
He knew... He would wound His Son... wound Himself... for love of a Bride...
From the roots of Jesse... springs up a Branch... one ready to be prepared... to receive a graft...
"...I lay down my life...
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord."
John 10:17-18
This was... and is... the Gardener's first... and only plan... to complete His purpose... to increase the circle of His love... by creating... and making the Way... for a grafting in...
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,
so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
by his wounds you have been healed.
1 Peter 2:24
(emphasis added)
Therefore... I rejoice in my weakness...
I humble myself before Him... that He might lift me up...
pride...
arrogance...
shame...
guilt...
self-loathing...
hate...
grudges...
vengeance...
unforgiveness...
each scar the wounds... and prevent grafting... abiding... healing...
Only a fresh... oozing... wound... can be successfully grated in...
In the death of the cross, Christ was wounded, and in His opened wounds a place was prepared where we might be grafted in. And just as one might say to a graft, and does practically say as it is fixed in its place, "Abide here in the wound of the stem that is now to bear you"; so to the believing soul the message comes, "Abide in the wounds of Jesus; there is the place of union, and life, and growth. There you will see how His heart was opened to receive you; how His flesh was rent that the way might be opened for your being made one with Him and having access to all the blessings flowing from His divine nature."
--- Andrew Murray
Face your wounds... embrace them... as He embraced His... they are the Way... to fully abide in Him... for by His wounds... you are healed...
There is a fellowship between Christ's sufferings and your sufferings.
--- Andrew Murray
For even in the beginning... what Satan intended for harm... God intended for good...
Lord Jesus... Father God... help me to see... what you have allowed... my own sinful choices... those of others' against me... You intend for good... not only mine... but the saving of many others... help me bring each wound to You... that You might use it... to make me one with You... and be truly whole...
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