In Sickness & In Health

In Sickness & In Health

A wee while ago, I was struck down by a potentially quite serious complaint. The technical term for it is labyrinthitis which is medical gobbledygook for a kind of super-vertigo. In practical terms it means that my world suddenly became very dizzy – I couldn’t stand or walk straight – I couldn’t drive – and I couldn’t fly – anywhere!! I actually collapsed and other details you are probably better off not knowing.

Now, with my diary, this was nothing short of disaster. I had to cancel ministry trips for a minimum of the next 6 weeks; I had to stop driving for at least 2 weeks. So, when I was compos mentis again, I started to ask the Lord what was going on?? He responded by saying something about me being so busy He needed to stop me in order to speak to me!! I ignored His humour and pressed on. He spoke about me being over-busy ! Over-busy?? Yes Over-busy !! He spoke about me being over-busy so He wanted me to slow down – He has things He wants to say to me – things that will take me deeper in Him. For example, had I noticed how stressed out and fractious I had become – NO. Had I noticed how little I was speaking/talking with Him – again NO !!

So what was He to do? He needed to stop me, not harm me, but stop me before I actually did myself some harm. We had done 10 overseas visits – that’s 20 flights – in 13 weeks before Easter. I had organised all that AND done all the things between trips to make myself available. “Very commendable”, He said, “but if you don’t mind me saying so, quite foolish !!” Hmmm – when God tells you that you are being foolish, I guess you start to listen.

The Lord showed me that, when illness strikes suddenly we suffer three things :-

1. A loss of faith
2. A loss of confidence
3. Our world is thrown into turmoil

THEN – He showed me that it’s all in His Word. He knows us so well. I was humbled, chastened, and on my knees repenting. Then something wonderful happened. He reminded me of this scripture :-

Romans 8:28-30
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

Then He had my great and full of faith friend in Sydney Australia send me some scriptures that spoke volumes to me.

Jeremiah 20:11a/13b "The Lord is with me like a mighty warrior ...He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked.".

The full text reads thus - “11 But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonour will never be forgotten.
12 O LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.
13 Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! “He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked."

Zephaniah 1:7a “Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near. “

Zechariah 2:13 “Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling “

Hey – I can take a hint. I stayed silent before Him !!

I believe the Lord is moving me, (and the RoFMI ministry) into a new level of seeing the wonders of our God manifesting to the lost and hopeless in the world. I believe He is taking us to new understanding of Himself and of His awesome majesty. I believe He is giving us more and more from Him to say to the people. And to think – I nearly missed it because I was so busy doing busy-ness for God that I forgot His business.

People – don’t forget the basics. Spend time with the Lord. Spend time in His Word because it is more relevant for us today than ever before. Just spend a little time with Him. Personally I am not very disciplined about this – I am too busy (irony) Spend a little time each day being still before His throne – and listen.

Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

We too often forget to include the last bit – “I will be exalted . . . . “ Exalt our God – Raise Him up – Hold Him high above the earth. Worship Him in His Glory. Let God be God – wait upon Him.

It’s so little to ask – it is so rich in rewards.