August 1, 2012

“Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate (KJV provoke) one another to love and good deeds.” Verses 22-24 of Hebrews 10 are underlined in my Bible, and familiar to me since the 1970s when Greg and I led the youth share group – I will meditate on these verses today.

Given my current illness, verse 36 spoke to me “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” Yes, I have need of endurance through this debilitating fever. I have not been sick very often, and one thing it does is strengthen me and sensitize me to the plight of others who deal with sickness and who have chronic illnesses.

I saw Dr. Shimizu yesterday, and he does not think that I have a tick-borne illness, but rather a viral infection that should run its course in a few days. I am pretty miserable, and will stay home again today. I am on the verge of cancelling my trip to Clarence tomorrow to meet with the mentors and candidates for the Board of Ordained Ministry. If I get better by noon or so I might still try to go. I hate to cancel out at the last minute on anything.

Ron, who is in prison in Licking, Missouri has requested that I visit him. I shall look up that location, and see how I might make the arrangements to do so. He is struggling with many things. Last August I was surprised that he was sentenced to 10 years, with 8.5 years required. Michael is imprisoned in the southeastern corner of Missouri, and we correspond at Christmas time each year, and I have intended to visit him, but have not yet done so. Jackie is a 40 year old man who has been corresponding with me from a prison in Arizona, and is planning to move back to Springfield this fall when he is released. I need to call his mother and see how she is doing. These three men have become somewhat regular correspondents.

Guide me today, most Holy Lord as my body musters its strength to fight this infection. Give me wisdom in the use of my time and energy; Guard me from being a wimp, and also from foolishly ignoring the need to rest. I want my entire life to be spent in serving you, with every ounce of energy.