May 29: Back in Action

Sunday morning, as I was preparing to go to church, my back went out. The pain was terrible all day Sunday and through the night, and all day Monday. I had a lady hug me at church, catching me off-balancing, nearly causing both of us to take a tumble. I spent some time Monday in a swimming pool in hopes of finding relief from the pain and stiffness, all to no avail.

So here I am sitting in my lazy boy, having just finished watching a debate on “The O’Reilly Factor” between Dr. Ken Hamm and Dr. Lawrence Krauss. Dr. Hamm’s organization, “Answers in Genesis” opened their Creation Museum today and the two men were debating Biblical creation and evolution. That’s when it happened—the big sneeze—at which time I both felt and simultaneously heard a “pop” in my lower back.

I am now pain free, have full range of motion, and feeling great. Just hoping things don’t pop out of place again anytime soon. Oh, the joys of middle-age! I am reminded that my body is wearing out and as the country crooner Toby Keith sings, “I’m not as good as I once was.” Once we get past our mid-twenties or so we are all dying in slow motion.

A sobering thought, but one I won’t lose sleep over—not tonight. I plan on sleeping like a baby and making up for what I missed last night. It just reminds me of what the Bible says about the human predicament in a fallen world: "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:6-8)

But there is encouragement, too. For those who are in Christ there is the hope of what is to come:

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

The creationists and evolutionists will continue to debate. The Bible stands forever and gives the answers to our origin and destination. Life is not just meaningless, cyclical repetition. History is headed somewhere. The question of one’s destiny is worth losing sleep over. How’s your relationship with your Creator? Why not re-connect with Him now, through prayer and let Him renew you inwardly today?

~ Father, thank you for reminding me of both my mortality and “eternal glory.” Help me to fix my eyes on the unseen eternal and not be distracted by the visible and temporary. Focus me on what matters most. Amen.