What Lies Beneath

A friend of mine has been out of state by her husband's side for the past three weeks as he recovers from major surgery to deal with a life threatening medical condition. He has been in the ICU for two weeks. The total recovery will take several months. His surgery carried very serious risks including death, paralysis, and major organ failure.

The interesting thing is that the medical condition that led to this major surgery was discovered by accident. It wasn't causing him any symptoms. Before he entered the hospital to undergo this difficult treatment path he felt fine. He also looked fine.

Trouble is, he was not fine. Despite the outward appearance, inside his body he carried a life threatening aneurysm. It was a ticking time bomb, that left untreated would have claimed his life.

Treating it, removing the active threat, was not without risk. It was painful. It will be a long recovery. In the short term, it has adversely effected his quality of life in significant ways.

I was thinking today about what a picture this is of sin in our lives. For many of us, our surface can keep up appearances while time bombs lurk within us that will ultimately wreak major havoc (including emotional, spiritual, relational and/or physical death).

In order to really live, we often have to choose to go under the knife for the Great Physician to rid us of what ails us. It can be messy, painful and risky. Often, it even defies logic.

What do you mean I am in danger? Look at me. Do I look sick? I feel fine...I have this under control.

We have a choice. We can invite God to test us--to see if there is anything internal that threatens us--or we can choose to ignore the signs and symptoms, relying instead on our feelings, impressions and images.

But our feelings and opinions don't change what is brewing within us. It is simply a choice about whether or not we have the courage to allow God to deal with it--to heal us, to make us free and whole.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

It takes courage, but it is the way of everlasting life.