Pastor’s Corner : Surround with prayer
Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2008
I recently had the enjoyable experience of having my gallbladder removed. As often happens, before the surgery could be done, I had to endure several tests to confirm that my symptoms indeed stemmed from a rogue gallbladder and not something else with similar symptoms.
As I shared with a friend at church on the Sunday before the surgery, I was ready. I told my friend that - after nearly eight weeks of weakness, nausea, throwing up, diarrhea, sleepless nights, x-rays, ultrasound, glow-in-the-dark nuclear medicine, blood tests and EKGs - I was ready. In fact, I said, I have come to the point where I am so ready, I don't care what they remove, just as long as it fixes the problem and I could get back to feeling better. I was feeling a lot like Old John in that old Jerry Clower skit.
In case you aren't familiar with it, it's the one about where John Eubanks," a professional tree climber," was up one of the biggest trees in the Amite River Swamp. The object of John's climb is what is presumed to be a coon nestled among the giant sweet gum's topmost branches. As he nears his prey, Eubanks is repeatedly admonished to "Knock 'em out, John !"
Upon his arrival in the upper branches of the tree, however, the unfortunate John encounters not a coon, but a lynx. The cat proceeds to attack him, resulting in a cacophony of screams from John, screeches from the lynx, and continued encouragement from the ground in the form of "Knock 'em out, John ! "His colleagues finally understand John's plight, and he begs them to "Shoot this thing. "They reply that they are afraid to, lest they should hit John. In response, a desperate John can only plead," Just shoot up here amongst us, one of us has got to have some relief !"
Now while I really didn't want the surgeon to just start cutting whatever was handy in an effort to alleviate my problem, I really did want him to fix me up because I - along with my family, and anyone who spent much time around me - was really tired of me being sick. I was so tired of being sick I was willing to endure whatever tests the doctors deemed necessary and put up with whatever discomforts and risks the surgery would bring, just to fix the problem.
Mankind is afflicted with a sickness called sin that can only be cured by one physician and, contrary to what a lot of so-called physician's helpers will tell you, there is only the one cure and that is surgical removal of the sickness by the blood of Jesus Christ.
For that cure to be the most effective, people have to come to the same place I was in regards to my gallbladder surgery; tired enough of being sick to be ready to comply with any requirement the physician made, anything, just to get the problem corrected so I could get well. If we aren't in that frame of mind, we won't admit we have a problem, much less go to the physician for the cure.
After surgery, there is always a recovery time, and the length of that time is different for each patient. I've been blessed; prayers and offers of help from many have surrounded me, for which I am very grateful. We need to surround those who come to the Lord for surgery with our prayers, love and help as well.
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