I haven't lived up to my promise to post more, mostly because I spent this weekend sick, sick, sick. I had, I believe, some sort of 24 hour virus sent by an emissary of Satan to be a thorn in my flesh. I did not preach Sunday morning for the first time ever due to illness.
As my cheek rested upon the cool, comforting porcelain that is my toilet in the wee hours of Saturday morning, the thought that honestly kept running through my mind was, "God has ordained this for my good. Wow. This is interesting." This thought made me feel spiritual, and it helped me get through the night. I thanked the Lord that in the mysteries of His providence, He decided that I should have the throw-up sickness for a little while accompanied with "other end" problems as well.
So, as I crawled back to bad, really glad that God had let me go through this for my sanctification, I began to wonder what ways this would work itself out for my good and His glory. I then realized that I would have to call Drew early Saturday morning, that is, the normal early Saturday morning not the "it's barely Saturday morning" time I was referring to earlier, and tell him he needed to get ready to preach because God might be pleased to finish killing me by Sunday. Then I thought, maybe this is it, maybe God wanted Drew to preach and that's why I'm so sick. Then I thought...hmmm...maybe I could just let Drew preach more and avoid the sick part.
I have no idea why it pleased God to let me get the virus of sickness. But I am thankful for it. We'll see in eternity why it was good for me to be laid low. I look forward to it.
By the way, I'm serious.
Posts
Two Voices
12 years ago
7 comments:
Glad you added that last line. :)
As the old cliche goes, God works in mysterious and sometimes disgusting ways ...
("toilet-hugging" as a blog category? Sheesh!)
did you ever think that maybe the devil made you sick because he did not want you to preach.
@Waterfall,
Yeah, we'll see what it was all about.
@Anon,
No, God is Sovereign over the devil. If it had pleased God for me to be well Sunday, the devil could not have prevented it. Maybe God let the devil give me a virus. I dunno. We'll see.
Some christians are more into a big devil and a little Jesus...
You're theologically correct Brad and you have applied the scriptures correctly to the situation. Keep it up!
Anonymous
You must read the book of Job.
Job 1:6- One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you caome from?"
Satan answered the Lord, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered mt servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."
"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out tyour hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."
The Lord said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."
Satan has no power over God. Read the whole book. It's a great book!
Julie
When we go to glory and then ask God why we had to go through this stuff, I reckon he'd probably say "I'm not going to tell you. Besides, doesn't being here rock enough for you to forget it?"
In seriousness, this means:
1) God is not compelled to reveal his plans even to those who have died in the faith.
2) Why worry about what happened on earth when heaven rocks?
Post a Comment