I saw the article in the paper this morning of the first face transplant in the United States. Several years ago the woman had her face blown off by a shotgun blast. The 'before' picture was quite disturbing. She had no nose. Her mouth and eyes were disfigured as well. The article said children would run away from her when they saw her. I believe it!
The 'after' picture was next to the 'before' photo. It was a considerable improvement, but still didn't look completely normal. As I read the article I began to understand why her face still looked distorted. The doctors said the circulation is continuing to be re-established to all the muscles and nerves. As this happens, the muscles and nerves will begin to work more naturally and the face will begin to take on a more normal appearance.
Right now the muscles are weak and sag, waiting to be re-generated. Right now the nerves are not communicating with her brain the way they should. But slowly, day by day, the life giving blood is flowing through her new face and eventually it will look as it is supposed to again.
The doctors also said that as the muscles and nerves begin to work better they may have to do a little more surgery to make her new face fit better. After all, it wasn't her face to begin with and it will take a little work to make it fit right.
Patience. That's what is required here. Patience, my dear. Patience.
Galatians 3:27 says that all of us who have been baptized into Christ have clothed ourselves with Christ. It's like we received a new face to cover over the one we've messed up on our own. But that new face takes a little getting used to. It doesn't fit perfectly at the beginning.
The muscles and the nerves in our new skin need that life giving blood to flow through it to re-generate them. As we spend time each day, recovering in his Word, those muscles begin to grow stronger. As we put his Word into practice those nerves begin to feel again, the way they were meant to. There may still be some surgery needed to remove things in our lives that no longer fit, but what we need is patience. Patience, my dear. Patience.
Ephesians 4:2 says, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."
We need to remember that we are all still healing.
Patience, my dear. Patience.
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