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  Religion
Lessons For A Sick Bed By Pastor Phillip Howle web posted May 27, 2010 RELIGION – I am writing as I lie in bed with tonsillitis, feeling terrible, and trying to choke antibiotics and pain medicine down a throat that seems to be closing. Now, I don’t say that to gain sympathy, but because I am rarely sick and many of you have health struggles daily that far suppress this temporary infirmity that I am dealing with. This down turn has got me thinking, how can I redeem this time spent in bed besides watching History channel and old Journey videos on YouTube? What good can come from this? Charles Spurgeon wrote these incredibly challenging words” I venture to say that the greatest earthly blessing that God can give to any of us is health, with the exception of sickness. Sickness has frequently been of more use to the saints of God than health has.” Wow, this is a strong assertion from the great Baptist preacher ever (sorry mom , it’s not me ). How can he say this? I mean I have done little of any value; expect hurt, whine, and moan. Forgive me, I am a man, I know my wife would have cleaned the gutters while holding baby Luke on her hip if she was sick. But from my typical perspective it is hard to see what good being sick is doing me, although I have prayed and thought about my shortsightedness. So in my pursuit of the value of sickness I ran across a quote from J.C. Ryle and another old great English writer who highlights 5 values of sickness. Forgive my extensive quoting; original thoughts are not coming well. First, he writes that sickness helps to remind men of death. This was uplifting. But the point was none of us will live forever. Hebrews 9:27 agrees with this “it is appointed for people to die once--and after this, judgment.” Second, he writes sickness helps to make men think seriously of God, and their souls, and the world to come. Now, luckily I am not at death’s door, but sickness does remind us that in a fallen world our bodies are vulnerable and not immune to disease and death. I thought about David’s appeal in Psalm 32:6 “Therefore let everyone who is faithful pray to You at a time that You may be found. When great floodwaters come, they will not reach him.” Turn to God in your health and don’t gamble or wait for a death bed conversion. Third, Ryle states sickness helps to soften men’s hearts, and teach them wisdom. God has shown me I go pretty hard. I preach to others to take breaks and enjoy a Sabbath rest, while failing to practice that personally. We can choose to slow done and get inline God’s rhythm for life or God will slow us down and get us in line us with His pace for our life. So I am just trying to practice Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God.” Fourth he says sickness has a unique way of leveling and humbling us. I thought about my lack of thankfulness for good health that God give me. I see sick people almost daily and pray for their spiritual and physical needs, but yet this fact does not lead me to express the thanks for my personal health that I should. 1Thessolians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, (17)pray without ceasing, (18) give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Fifth and last, sickness helps to try men’s religious convictions and test the strength of them. Sickness had a way of exposing what I have called Car-Jack Theology. You see a car-jack is a dirty, useless thing to be kept out of sight in the trunk until you have a flat tire (a little suffering). Then you get it out, let it do the dirty work and put it away again. I find that many people in health and prosperity treat God this way. We say to God "Get me up out of this sickness, get me out of this financial mess, get me out of this lousy job, etc.” Then when God comes to our aid, what do we do? Quickly and promptly take the blessing and put God back in the trunk not to be bothered with again until we get in a fix. So, being sick is no fun, but you don’t have to waste your sickness. Embrace this sickness, draw near to God, and determine to not just get better physically, but come through it closer to Jesus spiritually. Please say a little prayer for me, Pastor Phillip © Copyright 2010
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