August 2009

As many of you know, I spent some quality time in the hospital this past month. Battling pneumonia is never pleasurable, and even though I was in the right place to be helped, it was far from a comfortable experience. To be sure, the doctors, nurses, and the entire staff were wonderful and did everything they could to help me through the healing process. But it still was no vacation. It was not a time of rest. I remember as I fought for each breath, and all the labor it took to inhale and exhale; not getting enough oxygen in my system; that feeling of everything closing in on me as I struggled to breathe.

I thought God was supposed to make me feel better! How could I serve Him if I’m laid up in a hospital bed feeling just miserable, thank you? God uses times like this in our lives to make Himself known to us. I remember one evening as I lay there hot, unable to sleep, and unable to get a deep breath into my lungs, God talked to me. I mean, I didn’t audibly hear His voice, but He spoke just the same. The question that kept going through my head went something like this: “What means more to you, Me, or My healing you? What do you treasure more, your health or God?” I came to the tearful conclusion that God had to mean more to me than my health. If God chose to keep me ill for the rest of my days on earth, does that mean I should give up on God? Or do I only want God to give me “stuff” including health, to make me happy.

Anything and I mean anything that we put before God is idolatry. Even the good stuff God gives us can easily become an idol. What means more to you than anything? Your kids? Your spouse? Your career? Your home? Your computer? Your Face Book friends? Your health? Your traveling? What else? You can fill in the blank. If I’m not willing to sacrifice any of these for the glory of God, I’m an idolater. And so are you.

I’m reminded about Abraham’s faithful commitment to God when he willingly brought his son, whom he loved, Isaac to Mt. Moriah to be sacrificed. Are you and I willing to do that? Are we raising our children so that they will have successful careers or are we encouraging them to be completely, one-hundred per cent sold out to God? How can we if we truly aren’t making Christ our supreme Treasure, worth more than anything else we may possess?

Just some thoughts from a hospital bed.

Seeking to honor Christ with you,

Pastor Leslie