Probably Not Your Normal Post-Christmas Post
'Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.' (1 Thes. 5:18) Those are the words that spun through my head after I woke up feeling sick and miserable on Christmas morning. I have learned that God tends to teach me through my sickness, so, a little grudgingly (because who actually wants to be thankful for a cold), I gave Him thanks for my discomfort.
I have been thinking in broader terms than usual this Christmas. Normally, I just like to think about Jesus, 'the Reason for the season', being born as a baby in a stable. But this year, my mind kept wandering on to His life of ministry, His death, and His resurrection and ascension...that whole lovely and terrible sequence of events that changed the course of human history.
I'm probably really dense, but it took me quite a while to realize that my sickness could actually help make me more a part of that sequence. Verses began coming to my mind. 'He {Jesus} was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.' (Isaiah 53:3) and 'we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.' (Romans 8:17) Now, I do realize that having a cold, even a very bad one, is more of a discomfort than an actual suffering. But, my sickness does give me an opportunity to identify a little better with Jesus's sufferings. It's an opportunity I ought to take full advantage of, since becoming more like Jesus should (after all) be my full-time job.
So I am, after a fashion, thankful that I got a cold for Christmas. It allows me to celebrate the 'reason for the season' in a more personal way. I marvel at the wonder of a God who can use even such a thing as sickness, the result of Satan's deceit and humanity's disobedience, to bring me into closer fellowship with Himself. Yes, I am thankful, but I'm incredibly excited about going to Heaven, where I won't have to deal with this sort of junk any more.
I'm also grateful for my parents' gift of a laptop, which enabled me to type the first draft of this post in the comfort of my own bed, and for all the people who are praying for my speedy recovery. I think the prayers are taking effect. I've started to feel like a live being once more.
So thank you Mom, Dad, and assorted prayerful friends and family. Thank you to everyone who played card games with me when I felt too sick to engage in other forms of socialization. Most of all, thank You, Jesus, for suffering humiliation, sickness, and death for my sake. Thank You for sending Your Spirit to guide me through times of joy, times of sadness, times of sickness, and times of health. Thank You for the spiritual gift of oneness with You in some small portion of Your suffering.
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What spiritual gifts did you receive this Christmas?
I have been thinking in broader terms than usual this Christmas. Normally, I just like to think about Jesus, 'the Reason for the season', being born as a baby in a stable. But this year, my mind kept wandering on to His life of ministry, His death, and His resurrection and ascension...that whole lovely and terrible sequence of events that changed the course of human history.
I'm probably really dense, but it took me quite a while to realize that my sickness could actually help make me more a part of that sequence. Verses began coming to my mind. 'He {Jesus} was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.' (Isaiah 53:3) and 'we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.' (Romans 8:17) Now, I do realize that having a cold, even a very bad one, is more of a discomfort than an actual suffering. But, my sickness does give me an opportunity to identify a little better with Jesus's sufferings. It's an opportunity I ought to take full advantage of, since becoming more like Jesus should (after all) be my full-time job.
So I am, after a fashion, thankful that I got a cold for Christmas. It allows me to celebrate the 'reason for the season' in a more personal way. I marvel at the wonder of a God who can use even such a thing as sickness, the result of Satan's deceit and humanity's disobedience, to bring me into closer fellowship with Himself. Yes, I am thankful, but I'm incredibly excited about going to Heaven, where I won't have to deal with this sort of junk any more.
I'm also grateful for my parents' gift of a laptop, which enabled me to type the first draft of this post in the comfort of my own bed, and for all the people who are praying for my speedy recovery. I think the prayers are taking effect. I've started to feel like a live being once more.
So thank you Mom, Dad, and assorted prayerful friends and family. Thank you to everyone who played card games with me when I felt too sick to engage in other forms of socialization. Most of all, thank You, Jesus, for suffering humiliation, sickness, and death for my sake. Thank You for sending Your Spirit to guide me through times of joy, times of sadness, times of sickness, and times of health. Thank You for the spiritual gift of oneness with You in some small portion of Your suffering.
______________________________________
What spiritual gifts did you receive this Christmas?
I'm terribly sorry to hear that your sick, Janie.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to know your seeing the best in the situation, though.
Being sick really does give us a fresh perspective on things. One can feel God's love and concern for us sometimes more than when we are on our own two feet.
Also, I bet Jesus had it tough, living in heaven for the longest time then coming to earth and dealing with colds and sickness. As for us, we didn't have a previous life to compare ours now with.
Let me tell you though, I would never have known, but for the times I've been sick and having to stare at them for hours, just how exciting the walls and ceilings can be! All those dots and bumps making patterns of faces and figures! ;-D
-I'll be praying for your quick rejuvenation.
By the way... I think your blog is running on Pacific time. It's two hours behind.
DeleteOr is that on purpose?... 8-/