The Pilgrim Path---Psalm 41: 3

The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

“ON HIS SICKBED…”

In October 2001, I had open heart surgery. There was a congenital defect with my mitral valve that had to be corrected. I put this off as long as I could (coward that I am). Information was given to me to “read” to get me ready. I was told I would wake up “initially” with a breathing tube inserted in my mouth (I would be in ICU). Well, when I woke up in ICU, I felt like the surgery had been performed on my back. I was reminded that this “special” apparatus was used to separate my rib cage during the surgery. Hmmm---and where do your ribs join? At the spine! What awful pain there was in my back. No more breathing tube in my mouth---and I was about to speak to the nurse---weak as I was---but she “did” something: she turned me on my bed---and caringly propped pillows behind me---relieving the anguish I felt. Oh, My LORD---almost instant relaxation from distress. I do not even remember the name of this nurse---about every two hours---she turned me, before I would have moaned and cried…What providential care…

When I visit Psalm 41: 3, I ponder the simple Hebrew at the end of the verse, “you turn all his bed.” There is an intimacy between Jehovah-Jesus and His people (His blood-bought ones)---when sick-times arrive. We are certainly not outside His favor or the full scope of His power during such occasions. Spurgeon used to say that he would cry to the Father and remind Him that he was personally attentive to his twin boys in their times of hurt and woe---he could not but imagine but His Father above would be willing to relieve him in his agony (Spurgeon lived in an age when medicines for rheumatological disorders were few). Spurgeon told the story that there were quite a number of times when he cried out to the Father, “Please grant me relief as your suffering child---for Jesus’ sake.” He noted---soon after---deliverance came.

This is a world of pain and woe. But belonging to Jesus the LORD, you may “know” you are never alone. Should HE have us walk long on the path of illness and weakness---it is that we might know HIM better (Psalm 119: 71, 72). Suffering “should” produce sympathy for others in like circumstances. Anguish---and stress of body and soul should increase our longing for that glorious abode of King Jesus---where no one ever suffers again because of the curse of sin. Call on the Savior---knowing HE is glorified by our dependence upon Him.

From John Bunyan: I know that sufferings are not excellent in themselves, nor are they to be desired for any profit that they can yield, but God uses them as a teacher to make known the riches of his goodness that are seldom known by other means unto the sons of men. Thus, affliction yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto those who are exercised by them. The depth of God’s love is revealed in every providence, in every change, in every turn of the wheel that passes by us in the world.

From Richard Sibbes: The Word teaches us not to look upon things only in the present, but to see the outcome when God directs all things to a sweet end.

From John Duncan: “A crown without the cross for me,” says the natural heart. Jesus is drawing you to the cross.

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason