Power in the Blood

A week ago I went back to my foot doctor to receive and injection in the foot that I broke back in December.  It was something that he suggested some time ago and something I have had done to this foot to help with a problem I was experiencing even before the break.  It is not a steroid injection, but an injection of my own blood, centrifuged down to platelets and plasma.  That platelet rich plasma is injected into an injury to use your own blood's healing powers to help enhance the healing process.  It is a fairly simple process, with no side effects.  Except for the pain of the injection.  That is no small thing.

I was sitting in the chair in the exam room and the doctor was ready to inject the plasma into my foot when the thought occurred to me, I better not cough while he is doing this, that would not be good.  I had been coughing with a sinus infection that week.  Just as I put a cough drop in my mouth, the doctor stuck this ten inch needle in my foot (I know it was not ten inches long, it just felt like it).  I immediately sucked in a breath of air and the cough drop went to the back of my mouth.  I could swallow it or choke on it.  Chocking with a ten inch needle in your foot would not be good. I decided to swallow.  But then I had to fight a cough and I could not catch my breath. 

The nurse that was with the doctor kept saying, "Breathe, sir, breathe."  I wanted to say, "I would if there was any air left in this room," but I could not even get that out.  I did not remember my previous injection hurting like this.  I am glad I did not remember or I would not have agreed to have it done again.  It really hurt.  For a few days after, it was pretty sore but as I write this, I can say my foot is feeling better.  I am not ready to run a 5k race but it feels better than it did.

It is funny how things that help heal us often hurt in the short run - at the beginning. Then over time, God brings the healing to a place where we can feel it.  It is not just in physical things, it is that way in spiritual things as well.  Confession can be pretty painful in the moment but it leads to great healing.  The thought of repentance can fill us with a fear of pain, but later when we really have repented, we find it was a lot more painful to go around doing things our way instead of God's way.  If we have been running from God, the thought of following God can fill us with thoughts of dread.  But when we follow God, our lives become filled with His love.

When Jesus died on the cross, he went through pain, he shed his blood, he went through a dreadful death for us so we would not have to go through it.  There is power in our own blood to help heal a wound.  There is power in his blood to free us from all of our sin. 

This week and next week, we will be talking about "Life's Healing Choices."  Those messages will be an overview of the core of a Celebrate Recovery ministry that we will be starting soon.  I am praying that a lot of us will find healing.  And get free of a lot of pain.

for the journey...
Tim

Band Aides

I cut the tip of my right thumb while carving up an apple.  It is not a bad cut just a very annoying one that really likes to bleed.  I need to keep a band aide on it and that causes its own problems.  It is very hard to text with an iPhone with a band aide on your thumb, it is kind of like boxing with one hand tied behind your back - well maybe not that painful just frustrating and ineffective. Then there is the question I get every time I shake some one's hand, "What happened to your thumb?"  At least this week I can tell people that have to read my blog to find out.  It is easier to say that than to say I did something dumb while I was in a hurry.

My wife saw a brand of band aides this week that have answers to the inevitable question written on them, but instead of saying "I was cutting up an apple" these bandages have labels that say, "Shark bite," "Knife fight,"or "Ninja attack."  It sounds a whole lot cooler and they may actually make the injury hurt less, especially when answering questions when you did something stupid.

It made me think about how we handle people who come into church who have obvious wounds; not the band aide type but the 'see it in their eyes' type.  What kind of questions do we make them answer?  Do we label them with band aides that say "Fell to temptation," "Lost my job," or "Divorced?"  What do we do when we come to church hurting?  Do we try to put a light hearted spin on it so it doesn't seem like we are weak or that we don't make mistakes.  Would our band aides say, "Not hurting that bad," "I'm not really that dumb" or "I will be better soon?"

How would it be if we could come to church just as we are and even if we are hurting, know that someone there would give us a band aide with out questions and with out labels?  The truth is, that is what God does when we really connect with Him in worship.  He helps our hurts; He knows our pain and its causes.  We cannot hide from Him and so He does not need to label us.

Now comes the obvious question, "Ok, how do we connect with Him that way?"  Well, just like I have been telling people who ask about my thumb to read my blog, for the answer to that one, you have to hear my sermon this week.  See you Sunday, band aides and all.

For the journey...

Tim