“The joys of iodine”
CROSS PURPOSES # 98
19 September 2007
In the year penicillin was discovered, 1928, my grandfather died of blood poisoning. He was a builder. Having got a splinter in his hand he removed it using a chisel. Infection followed and death soon after. Four years later, in the year penicillin was first mass produced, grandfather’s father also got an infection in much the same way. He too died soon after.
My own father was 12 at the time of the first death, and 16 at the time of the second. He never knew much about penicillin but he was extraordinarily wary about cuts and wounds getting infected. And since iodine was regarded as an infection killer we got large amounts of it put on any wound or cut. How much it might hurt didn’t come into the equation. He knew infections could be deadly and responded accordingly. He was taking no chances.
That’s not unlike our God with us. Well may we know that our sins are forgiven. But our heavenly Father well knows that continued sin in the life of a believer can be a contagion that leads to death. It’s the reason he confronts those who belong to him, often very harshly, to bring them to the place of receiving the “Cross-help” they need. Someone will challenge us directly. Or someone will send us a note. Or something we read is like an arrow to our conscience. Or we hear a sermon that hurls us to our knees. That’s our heavenly Father doing his inspection of our wounds and alerting us to the need for ‘medication’. He wants to get at the problem area, the unconfessed sin, so that healing can take place – so that spiritual iodine can be applied.
That’s why we cherish mates / friends / parents / pastors who will tell us the truth about ourselves frankly and fearlessly. They represent a wake up call before it is too late.
That’s why in our worship services we have a time to reflect at the beginning of Worship – so we can know the value of that cleansing word of forgiveness spoken in Jesus’ name.
It’s also why we ‘get real’, perhaps better “are forced to get real”, before Communion. The medicine of immortality works its miracle for those who know they have need of it.
To use a different analogy, can you imagine any of us ignoring the signs of termites in the foundation timbers of our homes? No way. We see the signs and respond accordingly. We hope it’s not too late. Necessary remedies are put in place. The time to act is now! We innately know those things in the natural realm. Strangely we’re slower than slow in the spiritual. So be grateful when the Lord Almighty smacks you on the nose to get your attention. It’s one of the ways he has of saying “I love you!”
Go with God.
Fred
PS: Some years ago I met a chap attending one of the AA group meetings here at St Pauls. He was well over six feet tall with abundant tattoos adorning a very imposing frame. We got talking. He’s a passionate Christian with an outreach ministry. Gave me his business card – “Joe Bloggs, 4X2 MINISTRIES. Said that God had to use a 4X2 to get his attention!
PPS: A word of wisdom which I’ll attribute to “Marcus van Namen” :
“It is wise to acknowledge the splash of truth in the shit-bucket of criticism which is thrown over you”.
19 September 2007
In the year penicillin was discovered, 1928, my grandfather died of blood poisoning. He was a builder. Having got a splinter in his hand he removed it using a chisel. Infection followed and death soon after. Four years later, in the year penicillin was first mass produced, grandfather’s father also got an infection in much the same way. He too died soon after.
My own father was 12 at the time of the first death, and 16 at the time of the second. He never knew much about penicillin but he was extraordinarily wary about cuts and wounds getting infected. And since iodine was regarded as an infection killer we got large amounts of it put on any wound or cut. How much it might hurt didn’t come into the equation. He knew infections could be deadly and responded accordingly. He was taking no chances.
That’s not unlike our God with us. Well may we know that our sins are forgiven. But our heavenly Father well knows that continued sin in the life of a believer can be a contagion that leads to death. It’s the reason he confronts those who belong to him, often very harshly, to bring them to the place of receiving the “Cross-help” they need. Someone will challenge us directly. Or someone will send us a note. Or something we read is like an arrow to our conscience. Or we hear a sermon that hurls us to our knees. That’s our heavenly Father doing his inspection of our wounds and alerting us to the need for ‘medication’. He wants to get at the problem area, the unconfessed sin, so that healing can take place – so that spiritual iodine can be applied.
That’s why we cherish mates / friends / parents / pastors who will tell us the truth about ourselves frankly and fearlessly. They represent a wake up call before it is too late.
That’s why in our worship services we have a time to reflect at the beginning of Worship – so we can know the value of that cleansing word of forgiveness spoken in Jesus’ name.
It’s also why we ‘get real’, perhaps better “are forced to get real”, before Communion. The medicine of immortality works its miracle for those who know they have need of it.
To use a different analogy, can you imagine any of us ignoring the signs of termites in the foundation timbers of our homes? No way. We see the signs and respond accordingly. We hope it’s not too late. Necessary remedies are put in place. The time to act is now! We innately know those things in the natural realm. Strangely we’re slower than slow in the spiritual. So be grateful when the Lord Almighty smacks you on the nose to get your attention. It’s one of the ways he has of saying “I love you!”
Go with God.
Fred
PS: Some years ago I met a chap attending one of the AA group meetings here at St Pauls. He was well over six feet tall with abundant tattoos adorning a very imposing frame. We got talking. He’s a passionate Christian with an outreach ministry. Gave me his business card – “Joe Bloggs, 4X2 MINISTRIES. Said that God had to use a 4X2 to get his attention!
PPS: A word of wisdom which I’ll attribute to “Marcus van Namen” :
“It is wise to acknowledge the splash of truth in the shit-bucket of criticism which is thrown over you”.
posted by PastorFredVeerhuis at 2:03 PM
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