I've been thinking a lot about Lisa lately, as she recently requested prayer because of an MS flare up. Also, I have been having some specific trouble with my Crohn's disease, and I'm requesting your prayers.
There are many people out there who believe that no Christian should stay ill -- that if we only have enough faith, we would be disease free. The faith healers have shipwrecked many with this obvious lie.
Others believe that if someone is ill, there must be sin in their life, or perhaps they are simply unregenerate. To these I would respectfully ask: please read the book of Job and pray for illumination of the Holy Spirit.
I don't claim to have any answers about why I still have Crohn's, or why Lisa still has MS. What I do know is that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. He has a divine plan that includes my Crohn's, and Lisa's MS, and whatever infirmity or hardship with which you may be struggling. If I am ever to be healed this side of heaven, to God be the glory! And if I am never to be healed this side of heaven, to God be the glory!
This hymn has special meaning to me right now. I pray that it richly blesses you, too.
There are many people out there who believe that no Christian should stay ill -- that if we only have enough faith, we would be disease free. The faith healers have shipwrecked many with this obvious lie.
Others believe that if someone is ill, there must be sin in their life, or perhaps they are simply unregenerate. To these I would respectfully ask: please read the book of Job and pray for illumination of the Holy Spirit.
I don't claim to have any answers about why I still have Crohn's, or why Lisa still has MS. What I do know is that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. He has a divine plan that includes my Crohn's, and Lisa's MS, and whatever infirmity or hardship with which you may be struggling. If I am ever to be healed this side of heaven, to God be the glory! And if I am never to be healed this side of heaven, to God be the glory!
This hymn has special meaning to me right now. I pray that it richly blesses you, too.
When languor and disease invade
This trembling house of clay,
’Tis sweet to look beyond my pains,
And long to fly away.
Sweet to look inward, and attend
The whispers of His love;
Sweet to look upward to the place
Where Jesus pleads above.
Sweet to look back, and see my name
In life’s fair book set down;
Sweet to look forward and behold
Eternal joys my own.
Sweet to reflect how grace divine
My sins on Jesus laid;
Sweet to remember that His blood
My debt of suffering paid.
Words: Augustus M. Toplady
This trembling house of clay,
’Tis sweet to look beyond my pains,
And long to fly away.
Sweet to look inward, and attend
The whispers of His love;
Sweet to look upward to the place
Where Jesus pleads above.
Sweet to look back, and see my name
In life’s fair book set down;
Sweet to look forward and behold
Eternal joys my own.
Sweet to reflect how grace divine
My sins on Jesus laid;
Sweet to remember that His blood
My debt of suffering paid.
Words: Augustus M. Toplady
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14 comments:
Beautiful hymn... precious, God-honoring words you have written here, my friend.
Thank you for your prayers and for proclaiming the truth in love without compromise.
This has been something that I too have wrestled with. However, my answer to those who say it is because we have not enough faith, there are numerous examples of those who had faith who have been sick or died. It is appointed unto man once to die. It comes to all of us sooner or later. Yet, I know that for most of us, we prefer later.
Heb 11:13 ¶ All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
I am reading the old testament with my son. We were reading in II Kings, and because of my own health issues and concerns, I found it interesting when I read this scripture about Elisha, a prophet who received a double portion of Elija's spirit and did many remarkable things...
2 Kin 2:9 ¶ When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."
2 Kin 2:10 He said, "You have asked a hard thing. {Nevertheless,} if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be {so.}"
2 Kin 2:11 As they were going along and talking, behold, {there appeared} a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.
2 Kin 2:12 Elisha saw {it} and cried out, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
2 Kin 2:13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
2 Kin 2:14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
2 Kin 2:15 ¶ Now when the sons of the prophets who {were} at Jericho opposite {him} saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
In spite of all this what was his end?
2 Kin 13:14 ¶ When Elisha became sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!"
I have no doubt that Elisha was a man of the Lord, loved by God. So I believe illness is not a punishment (although it can be), it's a fact of THIS life.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
Rev 21:4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be {any} death; there will no longer be {any} mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."
Does it mean I am not afraid at times? No. Does it mean I don't want to live? No. It just means first things first.
Paul, apparently, would have been sorrowful if Epaphroditis would have died. Sickness and death come, I don't think there is anything wrong to not want it to.
Lord, we ask for your mercy and healing.
My prayers are with you, Jen.
Lisa, just keep hanging on to the Saviour's hand. :)
Bax, thanks so much for the scriptures you've shared here. As always, you've encouraged and strengthened me. :)
Kim, thanks so much! :)
Lifting you up in prayer, Jen.
As another person with chronic health issues, I understand.
Thanks Sally, you were one of several people on my mind as I wrote this. It seems there are so many out there with chronic illnesses these days. I hope you were blessed and encouraged by the words of the hymn. :)
I was. Thank you for thinking of me.
I am keeping you in prayer.
Comforting thoughts, Jen. I am a friend of Lisa's and I also have a chronic illness, so I am walking side by side with both of you. I recently posted on the different aspects of my illness, as sometimes it seems a gift, but sometimes a temptation for self pity.
http://lightinearthenvessels.blogspot.com/2008/04/gift-temptation.html
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Sheshe, thanks so much for sharing that. It truly blessed me.
You'll be in my prayers now too.
I'm so sorry you have to deal with this, Jen but your outlook is the right one I think. I do think that diseases can be the result of other underlying reason but usually it is simply what it is. We live in a fallen world, right? God has a purpose, I'm quite sure. All I can add is that God is made perfect in our weakness, right? It's celar from your writings you don't live as a victim but press on with the right heart and attitude. Bless you.
How are you, Jen? I hope that you have had some relief.
Praying for you now. . .
K
Michael, I try to keep the right attitude, but often I fail and self-pity creeps in. It's often a struggle. But God is always faithful even when I am not.
Kim, I'm having some decent days lately. Those are the ones I wait for. :) Your prayers bless me. You're in mine too.
Jen - I'm late but I'm lining up with the rest, thanks for reminding those of us with good health that we ought to be daily thankful!
Blessings for more good days or the grace to bear the bad ones...
Elaine, thank you so much! You've hit upon it -- we need to really be thankful for the good days and pray for grace on the bad days. But praise Him every day, amen?
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