I thought that I had better write something today, seeing that I had not written anything yet in March. I was going to write "Time flies" but I caught myself. Time doesn't really fly, or even go quickly (There are the same amount of minutes in every day). It just gets used and based on how it is used it can be described as wasted or redeemed. I think that is the point of John Piper's book, Don't Waste Your Life. You can use every minute of your life and others can look back at it and say, "What a waste!" Dr. Piper writes about a plaque that hung on the wall of his childhood home which inspired the way he thinks about life. It read, "Only one life, 'Twill soon be past; Only what's done for Christ will last."
One week of this month was used in my bed as I struggled with pneumonia. I had been sick for two weeks prior, with a cold and allergent effects. On a Tuesday morning, I woke up early and went to a ministry meeting and determined that after I would go see a doctor because it was unusual that my cold symptoms were not improving at all. I found upon arrival that I could only make an appointment for the afternoon and would have to wait. In the intermediate hours, my body began to become even more affected with illness and by the time I was to go the doctor, I could barely stand. I made it there, however, and began to be treated for pneumonia.
The next few days, I struggled with the illness. I had been given two antibiotic injections and was taking antibiotic pills. I wasn't seeing any improvement, no relief except for after my body had attempted to throw up from an empty stomach, due to a non-existent appetite. I had time only to think, about my life and about death, considering that the Lord does not need a sick man to make a dead man but can take a healthy 25 year old too. I saw how frail life is, how it is the vapor, how God rules over it. I considered my life and did not see much devotion to Christ on a daily basis, not much picking up of a cross.
I was not able to do much reading but managed to think about the praise of one Psalm, Psalm 145. The Psalmist begins, "I will extol you my God, O King and I will bless Your name forever and ever." His praise extols the unsearchable greatness of God, His goodness, His character as gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and great in lovingkindness, as the One who is good to all, who answers those who call upon Him in truth, who sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down.
"My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD" (v. 21).
One week of this month was used in my bed as I struggled with pneumonia. I had been sick for two weeks prior, with a cold and allergent effects. On a Tuesday morning, I woke up early and went to a ministry meeting and determined that after I would go see a doctor because it was unusual that my cold symptoms were not improving at all. I found upon arrival that I could only make an appointment for the afternoon and would have to wait. In the intermediate hours, my body began to become even more affected with illness and by the time I was to go the doctor, I could barely stand. I made it there, however, and began to be treated for pneumonia.
The next few days, I struggled with the illness. I had been given two antibiotic injections and was taking antibiotic pills. I wasn't seeing any improvement, no relief except for after my body had attempted to throw up from an empty stomach, due to a non-existent appetite. I had time only to think, about my life and about death, considering that the Lord does not need a sick man to make a dead man but can take a healthy 25 year old too. I saw how frail life is, how it is the vapor, how God rules over it. I considered my life and did not see much devotion to Christ on a daily basis, not much picking up of a cross.
I was not able to do much reading but managed to think about the praise of one Psalm, Psalm 145. The Psalmist begins, "I will extol you my God, O King and I will bless Your name forever and ever." His praise extols the unsearchable greatness of God, His goodness, His character as gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and great in lovingkindness, as the One who is good to all, who answers those who call upon Him in truth, who sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down.
"My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD" (v. 21).
posted by Joshua Clutterham at 10:35 AM
1 comments
