The "common" cold. It does not feel so common to me. Headache, sore throat, fever, cough, and a variety of other unpleasant ailments have made life uncomfortable for the past week. It is no fun being sick. It started on a Tuesday, put me in bed on Wednesday, and has kept me up for at least two nights barking with Hoss the dog. I know the Sunday morning cough while preaching is a bit aggravating for folks listening. Not that I cared - I had taken so much cold medicine that by Sunday morning I felt like it was all an out-of body experience.
I guess the cold is common because so many of us suffer with it. There are those exceptionally robust folks who have "never been sick a day in my life" types. Good for them. It simply is not the way it works for the rest of humanity. We get colds and flu and stomach aches, even when we wash our hands continuously.
There will be no colds in heaven. Viruses arrived with the fall of man, I think. The Bible says that while we are in these bodies, we groan. Indeed. For me, another week will probably make a big difference. I am hopeful that my energy will return, my head clear, and my throat quiet down. For some people, a week won't make much difference in their suffering. It has come to stay. Being sick helps me remember how good it is to be healthy. Being sick helps me pray more earnestly for those whose hope of being well comes with the promise that the follower of Christ shall be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. Until then, we all live in a world populated by cold viruses, and arthritis, and cancer. We cannot expect to escape unscathed. But we can expect grace in our very time of need.
I guess the cold is common because so many of us suffer with it. There are those exceptionally robust folks who have "never been sick a day in my life" types. Good for them. It simply is not the way it works for the rest of humanity. We get colds and flu and stomach aches, even when we wash our hands continuously.
There will be no colds in heaven. Viruses arrived with the fall of man, I think. The Bible says that while we are in these bodies, we groan. Indeed. For me, another week will probably make a big difference. I am hopeful that my energy will return, my head clear, and my throat quiet down. For some people, a week won't make much difference in their suffering. It has come to stay. Being sick helps me remember how good it is to be healthy. Being sick helps me pray more earnestly for those whose hope of being well comes with the promise that the follower of Christ shall be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. Until then, we all live in a world populated by cold viruses, and arthritis, and cancer. We cannot expect to escape unscathed. But we can expect grace in our very time of need.
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