Yesterday, while on a short visit in the US, I was doing some simple yard work and got stung by a little hornet.
No big deal right? Well, I happen to be extremely allergic to spider bites and bee stings. Within a few minutes my internal system went nuts. I started swelling, turning blood red, my blood pressure went through the roof and my tongue and throat started to swell to the point I could not swallow and it was very difficult to breath.
My wife was gone at the time and I was with my son Jaden. We got in the car and drove 15 minutes to the emergency room all the time wondering if I might pass out while driving on the way. Obviously as I write this, I was able to recover with several medications, injections and IV.
I write this in utter amazement. Here's the thing. I have lived my whole life with this life threatening issue. I now serve God in a insect full country. Yet, I have never been bitten. If I got bitten there it would be real trouble. Satan would very easily be able to stir up a hornet to bite me and put an end to me and he knows that. Yet he can't. God hasn't allowed that. Every day.
I take for granted how fragile my own personal health and very life are. A simple insect could cause my undoing. God is sovereign over insects too. Remember Jonah, God commanded the worm to eat Jonah's shade tree. He commanded gnats and flies and locusts in Egypt against Pharaoh. He could command or allow Satan to stir up a bee or spider to make an end to me. In a second. Literally.
God protects me from death daily. Knowing that being with Him immediately is far better for Him ( Jesus prayed that His disciples would be with Him where He is) and me, then the fragility of my very life should stir me to do all I can to minister for God and to God with my every day. God's protection of my life has a purpose for others much more than a purpose for me.
Most people think God keeps you alive for your joy and happiness with this world and life. Family, Recreation, enjoying creation. Nothing could be further from the truth. God keeps us alive so we can become like Christ and declare Christ and fill the earth with the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ bringing joy to all the earth. Full Stop.
Our primary joy is derived from our joy in Him, but, as John says in 1 John, our joy in God is made perfect or complete and full when it is shared in fellowship and unity with the rest of God's people. As we bring, stir up and help create real supernatural joy in God amongst God's people, then our joy is maximized and made full.
I wish church teachers, pastors and disciplers taught life this way. I pray and long for God's people to live this way !! I am thankful today for bees, for their stingers even, and obviously to my God for bringing me a spirit of revelation in understanding that a simple bee sting can recalibrate, bring back zeal and passion and center my life around why I'm really still here