Succeeding at Being an Invalid

Something To Think About Being a good invalid:

You'd think that being an invalid would be easy.  It's not. First let's sort out some terms and concepts, then we'll come back to being a successful invlaid.   One dictionary defines invalid as "a person made weak or disabled by illness or injury."  That's not quite right, because that definition implies the accidental. "He is an invalid because of a car wreck," or, "Her invalid condition is because of a heart attack."  I know I'm an invalid because I just bought invalid stuff--a walker, etc.--and my condition is the result of something I did on purpose.  So I would add something like, "a person made temporarily weak or disabled by purposeful self-inflicted action." That brings up another important distinction in regard to invalidity (It's a good word in Britain).  For some their invalid condition is temporary.  They will almost surely get better.  Others are invalids for years and years and for still others, being an invalid is a stopping place on the way to impending death. My condition shows every promise of being short-term.  My health care people speak in terms of days and weeks. Whether temporary or long-term, being an invalid is a condition of life.  It is who I am, right now.  Like all of life, I am to use this condition to bring glory to the God of the universe.  Here are some ideas: Like all Physicians since Hypocrites have promised, "First, do no harm."  I've found that a lot of being a successful invalid has to do with eliminating possible dangers.  Since my invalidity was planned, I actually began preparing for it a couple of weeks before it came.  My wife rearranged the furniture, and I constantly ask myself questions like, "If I sit down on that, can I get back up?"  Don't get yourself into anything you can't get out of.   Not all of me is disabled all the time.  There is a lot that I can't do--in some of my previous forays into invalidity, even more so--just ask my wife--but I ought to do what I can.  The rest of you can help we invalids out here.  If we can do it, even if we look awkward, let us. There is a lot I can't do.  Me being an invalid forces others to be a whole lot busier.  I need to acknowledge that with thanks and remember that when my invalidity passes. Being a bad invalid makes everybody's life harder.  I need to do this well. The Bible says that all of us are invalids. Isaiah describes the people of Israel in his day this way, "The whole head is sick And the whole heart is faint.  From the sole of the foot even to the head There is nothing sound in it,  Only bruises, welts and raw wounds, Not pressed out or bandaged, Nor softened with oil.(Is 1:5–6) Jeremiah says,    ““The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9) Being a good invalid means trust.  I take medicines I didn't prepare, and believe my therapist when she says you can bend that just a little more.  I know there are some things I can't do for myself.  I have to trust someone else.  The Bible makes clear that I can't do anything about the invalidity of which Isaiah and Jeremiah speak.  Jesus, though, says, "Trust me." Find out more below. It's Something to Think About. Click on the graphic to the right to find out about how God saves invalids. At CBC, we are starting a series on prayer, this Sunday.

Something To Think About Knowing where your going, 7/1

Palawan looks like a lovely place.  Unfortunately it wasn't where my friends wanted to go.  One can easily see how the mistake could be made, especially when you factor in different languages, accents and long distance communication, but the fact is Palawan and Palau are over a thousand miles apart.   Palawan--where my friends didn't want to go--is an island in the nation of Philippines.  Palau is one of the smallest counties in the world, but an independent nation.  The picture on the right is of a resort in Palawan.  The one below is of the Rock Islands, a lovely marine preserve in Palau (I was privileged to visit there week ago.). The Palauan Evangelical Church celebrated its 85th anniversary last week.  In keeping with the great commission, they are working on a partnership with The Evangelical Church in Indonesia, GIDI, to reach out to one of the unreached people groups on the Island of Papua.  I was privileged to be in Palau, last week for the celebration.  Some colleagues of mine have worked very hard on this mission partnership.  The church in Palau, my friends, and all of we guests were anxiously looking forward to the arrival of the the GIDI delegates from Indonesia.  We heard that they had departed from their home on the Island of Papua.  It was reported that they were in the airport in Manila, but then, from our perspective, they just kind of vanished. It turns out that when they bought their airline tickets, through an agent in Jakarta, they said "Palau" the travel agent thought they said "Palawan."  When the agent said "Pawlawan," they thought she was saying "Palau."  Everyone thought they were going to the right place, until they got there. More tomorrow, but for now let's see what we can learn from my new friends' experience. The near disastrous experience of the GIDI delegates was the result of an innocent mistake.  Satan, with complete lack of innocence, is the master of the "bait and switch."  Because of our falleness (SeeRomans 3:23 &Ephesians 2:1-3), we are apt to fall for his false advertising.  Just consider some of these statements from the Bible: "There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12) “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."  (Matthew 7:13-14)  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name performmany [n]miracles?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness."  (Matthew 7:21-23) In future STTAs I'll say some more about getting to the right place, right now you find out more at the link at the bottom of this email. Almost, isn't good enough.   Make sure you end up in the right place. It's STTA. Representatives of GIDI, the Palauan Evangelical Church, and Liebenzell Mission sign the cooperative agreement. Find out more about CBC at our website, or in a recent newsletter. God's Story in His Own Words. our Easter message that presents the flow of Divine Revelation from "In the beginning," to the final "Amen." You can find out about how to get where you really want to be here.