Taking Shelter in the Wounds of Jesus - Part 1

A sudden storm will make people run for shelter – wherever they can be shielded from the pouring rain. In a hurricane the same thing happens; people desperately look for shelter and safety in an area where they hope to avoid being injured or even killed. What about spiritual shelters – where can people run to?

Two days after his heart-warming Aldersgate experience in 1738, John Wesley recorded in his journal that he faced unexpected trials and struggles. When he asked a Moravian friend about it, the answer given was, “Take shelter in the wounds of Jesus.”

This phrase probably sounds rather mystical or sentimentally pious to modern ears. But if we reflect on them, they contain profound truths that can stabilise our lives and deepen our faith and relationship with Jesus.

The phrase ‘taking shelter in the wounds of Jesus’ was used by the medieval monk, Bernard of Clairvaux, who wrote about Jesus’ wounds and our love for Him. Bernard took his ideas from several church fathers who described the five wounds of Jesus (two hands, two feet and the side) and how they were prefigured by the five smooth stones David prepared before killing Goliath. (Some may consider this to be a rather fanciful allegorical interpretation of Scripture.)

The connection between the wounds of Jesus and the help they offer to the believer in spiritual combat was mentioned in many early spiritual writings. Jesus’ wounds are said to provide a safe refuge from the attacks of the devil and the flesh. Bernard wrote,“Here do I live secure, here have I nought to fear; in this harbour of refuge do I find salvation.”

What does taking shelter in the wounds of Jesus mean for us in actual experience? There are three important truths we can consider.

Firstly, the truth of God’s forgiveness. The wounds of Jesus declare to us that we have been forgiven by God. We can take shelter in the fact that we are saved from the penalty of sin when we turn to the cross of Jesus. This is expressed in the hymn of the nineteenth century Irish poet, Cecil Frances Alexander – ‘When Wounded Sore the Stricken Soul’.

Lift up thy bleeding hand, O Lord;

Unseal that cleansing tide;

We have no shelter from our sin,

But in thy wounded side.

The apostle John has some reassuring words in 1 John 3:19-20: “even if a faulty conscience condemns us, we can still find rest in God who is greater than our hearts.” When we look at the cross, we realise that Jesus was wounded for us so that we can experience forgiveness and salvation.

The Wesley brothers kept the tradition of the five wounds of Jesus. In the hymn ‘Arise, My Soul, Arise’, Charles wrote:

Five bleeding wounds, he bears,

Received on Calvary;

They pour effectual prayers,

They strongly speak for me;

Forgive him, O forgive! They cry,

Nor let that ransomed sinner die!

Discussion Questions:

Reflect on what it means to take shelter in the wounds of Jesus. What are your responses to this advice that John Wesley received from his Moravian friend? Where do people often take shelter when they encounter serious trouble? Does God promise to protect us from all dangerous situations? If so, why are there Christian martyrs? How would you interpret God’s promises of protection?