Warm hellos once again friends, brethren, fellow laborers, spiritual family, and scattered children of God from here on the Gulf Coast. My wife and I pray and hope this finds you doing well, and that again your week has been blessed.
Part of my responsibility as a pastor and servant of God and His children is traveling. Over the decades we’ve traveled so many miles I’ve lost count. My wife and I have worn out vehicles, traded them in, and pounded the miles on the new one until it was also traded in. We’ve flown so many miles within the United States and internationally that sometimes our trips all kind of flow together memory wise.
One of the draw backs of traveling, is that one is exposed to viruses and “bugs” that normally he/she would not be if they stayed home.
Recently, we traveled to southeastern Texas to visit brethren and family. As time and chance would have it, as careful as I was, shortly after arriving back from the airport I began to not feel well. At first it appeared I had picked up a strain of influenza or perhaps a cold while on the plane or other areas, airport etc. After almost a week, I was not getting any better. The bug was not running its course as we say. A visit to urgent care confirmed after multiple tests that I had a severe case of strep throat, and the infection was affecting my sinuses, lungs, and even my one eye.
The Practitioner made a statement to me during the examination process as we talked that made me stop and think, once again.
“You must feel pretty awful. Do you realize that with diabetes your immune system is easily compromised, and life is more fragile for you than others?”
There was that “duh!” moment. Of course I do. Wait a minute, do I?
During times of illness, we all take careful note of those things we often take for granted when we are not ill. Simple things like feeling well, and being about doing our normal daily routine day after day are taken for granted. Although inconvenient, becoming ill (sometimes even seriously) is a good reminder of what’s really important. Friends, our lives hang in a fragile balance, and it is only by the grace of God that we live, and do so by His watchful hands.
While I’ve been ill, I haven’t felt like watching TV, (not that I watch it often anyway) but I’ve had time to read, re-read, and ponder the following verses. Matthew 6:19-34.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what shall ye put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
I’ve read these multiple times over these last few days. We all know these verses. Most of us could recite them easily. But they seemed a bit more profound this time.
Once I slow down, I’m reminded how human I am, how fragile life is, and what’s really important. Where am I laying my treasure?
As we prepare for this Sabbath, consider taking some time out of your “normal”
schedule this evening or tomorrow to once again read Matthew 6:19-34. Meditate on these concepts that our Creator expects us to clearly understand and then follow with all our heart. This physical body is a tool that God can use in His service, and has many enjoyable benefits designed to live life to its fullest…however, we must never forget that the Spiritual growth and character is what God truly desires for all of us to stay focused on. So, I’ll leave you with “Where do we lay our treasure?”
Arms up friends! Our sincere prayers and thoughts are with you daily. Thanks in advance for your heartfelt prayers for us.
