This past Christmas I was so excited when I opened my Christmas gift and found that it was exactly what I had asked for. I know a lot of you out there might want frilly, smelly good things, jewelry, or clothing, for Christmas every year, and I do love those as much as the next lady, but that is not what I had in mind at all last year. It was a very different item that I was wanting. There are often items that you know you want and may even need, but you hesitate to buy them for yourself, because you just feel like it is not a justified expense; therefore, it goes on the ‘wish list.’ If you receive it as a gift, it is then totally justified, right? The item I wanted was a ‘small, handheld chainsaw.’ I can see the rolling of eyes. I do have a pair of small clippers, that I use in the garden to prune my flowers, and a snipper that is a little larger to cut twigs and small limbs; however, it takes a lot of elbow grease to cut through the thicker ones, and sometimes I just cannot get it done. I also have a hedge trimmer, but alas, it does not cut through the larger branches either. When spring rolls around I am always in a pickle because our Crepe Myrtles and other trees in our yard need to be pruned, and I do not have the correct tools to do it with. I was so excited and put that to use as soon as the wintry weather broke.
My husband mentioned when he saw the ginormous pile of brush that I created, that he had not bought that tool for me to make more work for him! To which I replied that I had to make up for the lost time of not having the correct tool. Things should begin to normalize soon, if I can keep up with all the trimming and cutting needed around the place. I found that using my beautiful, handy, new chainsaw did come with a learning curve. A few trees in, the blade became stuck and realizing that there was a twig caught in it, I began trying to dislodge it. Of course, with the brain going slower than the hands, thinking I was being cautious, before I could fully process any real plan, though my other hand was not on the trigger and did not engage, and the battery was out so I thought all was well, as I pulled the twig dislodging it successfully, I pulled my finger across one of the blades lacerating it. So, I had to stop, bandage my finger up before forging ahead with my task. It really hurt and for the next few days if I bumped that finger in the slightest it would really shoot a sharp pain through my hand. As life went on, at ninety miles and hour as it sometimes does, I stopped noticing pain at all, and in about a week I realized that my finger was almost completely healed, and now I do not even have a scar on that finger to commemorate the occurrence. This caused me to begin to contemplate how quickly the body restores itself, and how often we take it for granted.
If we allow it to, a healthy body has a unique way of healing itself. Looking at an article by John Hopkins Medicine called, “How Wounds Heal,” we see the actual route the body takes to heal, with no specific directions from us. We read:
Most of us take wound healing for granted. If you get a small cut, you may clean and let it open to the air or cover it with a bandage, and move on with your life. Yet under that bandage or in the open air, the body orchestrates a complex cascade of events designed to heal wounds big and small. Steps to wound healing are:
Step 1: Stopping the bleeding (hemostasis)
When your skin is cut, scraped, or punctured, you usually start to bleed. Within minutes or even seconds, blood cells start to clump together and clot, protecting the wound and preventing further blood loss. These clots, which turn into scabs as they dry, are created by a type of blood cell called a platelet. The clot also contains a protein called fibrin, which forms a net to hold the clot in place.
Step 2: Inflammation
Once the wound is closed with a clot, the blood vessels can open a bit to allow fresh nutrients and oxygen into the wound for healing. Blood-borne oxygen is needed for healing. The right balance of oxygen is also important — too much or too little and the wound won’t heal correctly. Another type of blood cell, a white blood cell called a macrophage, takes on the role of wound protector. This cell fights infection and oversees the repair process. You might see some clear fluid on or around the cut at this time. That is helping clean out the wound. Macrophages also make chemical messengers, called growth factors, which help repair wounds.
Step 3: Growth and rebuilding
Blood cells, including oxygen-rich red blood cells, arrive to help build new tissue. Chemical signals tell the cells to create collagen. It serves as a type of scaffolding. Occasionally, you see the result of this process as a scar that starts out red and eventually dulls.
Step 4: Strengthening
Over time, the new tissue gets stronger. You might notice stretching, itching, and even puckering of the wound as that happens. The wound gains strength quickly over the first 6 weeks of healing. In about 3 months, the wound is 80% as strong in its repair as it was before the injury. But the wound area will never reach 100% of its original strength. Depending on the size and the severity of the wound, the entire healing process might take up to a couple of years to complete.
The process seems simple enough, but wound healing is quite complicated and involves a long series of chemical signals. Certain factors can slow or prevent healing entirely.
One of the most dramatic factors that can affect wound healing is reduced or poor blood supply to the wound. The oxygen and nutrients that new blood carries to the wound are key to successful healing. A wound that is not getting enough blood could take at least twice as long to heal, if it heals at all. These are called chronic wounds. These are more common in elderly people or people with diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, or other vascular diseases. People who smoke are at high risk for poor wound healing.
Keeping these tidbits in mind, we see that if our body is not healing correctly or in a timely manner, there are underlying issues involved. The body has the capacity to heal if it is healthy. The Psalmist said in Psalm 139:14, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well.” This is the part of the equation that is incumbent upon us. We must do our due diligence to keep ourselves healthy through proper diet, exercise, as well as correct sleep habits. We must not only be healthy physically, but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually as well. Not taking care of ourselves, can lead to greater illnesses and even complications to minor problems, such as a cut on the finger as I experienced.
Now to add insult to injury and make things worse, when we do get around to going to a doctor, who are so hated and dreaded for some unknown reason, we will not follow the doctor’s instructions. In this situation, the visit is then worthless, and we would have accomplished nothing. Another scenario is that we may have waited so long to go to the doctor that we are in awful shape, leaving the doctor no choice but to prescribe a handful of medicine for us to take daily. Though these may assist in the issue at hand, most of them will come with a multiplicity of side effects, which may be much worse than the disease that we are trying to treat. We then begin to experience these discomforts, so they prescribe something for those issues which in turn have their long lists of side effects as well, becoming a vicious cycle. God has given us people with brilliant minds in the medical field for our benefit; however, we must make sure that we are doing our part in taking care of ourselves, which can include prayer and study of God’s word as well, before we start turning to other methods which can essentially be considered a ‘band aide’ not a cure. We must not resort to man’s way until we have explored God’s way.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 tells us, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also, is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where is the body? But now they are many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked. That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
As the physical body is complex and made up of hundreds of parts, each having their own function and purpose, so is the body of Christ, the Church. If something goes awry in the body, it affects the whole. Galatians 6:1 states, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” We must take care of ourselves as well as the other members of the body, to be healthy and whole. If we try to ignore an issue in the body, infection could set in which would spread to other parts of the body as well. We need to cleanse our wounds and pour the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit upon them to see cleansing and healing take place. The scripture tells us in Ephesians that things done in secret will become known. Why? Because the body will be affected, and the problem will begin to manifest itself much to our chagrin. Therefore, we must make a concerted effort to take care of the body diligently. Following the directive, we see in John 13:34-35 should take care of most of our underlying issues. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” As having self-love and self-care is of utmost importance personally, it is just as important in the body of Christ. As we read in Galatians, “restore such a one.”
Restoration is needed daily. I have heard of men who hate doing laundry so much that instead of washing their under clothes, they will just go out and buy new ones weekly. Nevertheless, more power to them if they have the funds to expend on that, however, the same concept cannot be applied to the body. Just because I cut my finger on the chainsaw, does not mean I should cut off the hand. There will be no way to replace that member of my body. In this microwave society of self-gratification and disposable everything, body parts are not disposable. It should be washed and dressed appropriately to begin the restoration process. Why is it that in the body of Christ we often are so quick to discard someone and leave them on the wayside, when they are a part of the body which makes up the whole functioning being. We let things fester and hold grudges that cause infection and problems within the body. I have known people who have lost limbs, and gone blind due to the awful, yet well-known disease called Diabetes, because their body is no longer able to restore and heal itself. They often get injured and cannot even feel it until it is too late, due to the neuropathy caused by the insulin resistance. Yet so many times the root cause stems from a lack of self-care.
Embarrassing others and ‘kicking them when they are down’ so to speak, is not conducive to good health in the body. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” And Ephesians 6:12, 17 states, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The word of God is meant to be a surgical instrument which is used to make the body whole for the body of Christ, and a weapon against the enemy; however, we often get those two confused and wield the sword and lash out at other members of the body and justify it because we are quoting scriptures. Colossians 4:6 tells us, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
When we see a teenager who has been cutting their wrists and body, we know they are in a horrible state of mind. They are causing themselves harm on purpose to communicate to others, to cope with issues they are facing, or to release the inward emotions they are feeling. This is a tragic disorder and is not considered normal behavior. They do not feel loved, have not learned to love themselves, and think they are unworthy of love. Why do we think in the body of Christ that it is normal to lacerate others, when essentially, we are harming our own body, if we claim to be a Christian. Would ‘having the pastor or saints for lunch’ be considered cannibalism? I know this brings a chuckle; however, it is worth contemplating. We need to stop thinking these things are okay and learn how to ‘restore such a one.’ Let the body heal the body. This is an indication of good health. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
To lose a soldier in war is a tragedy, both in the physical and in the spiritual analogy. We grieve the loss of good men and women. The army of the Lord is a force to be reckoned with in this world, but it is not an army of one, we all play a part. Every church congregation world wide is a part of and makes up the Kingdom of God. A soldier may choose to leave the army through a process of separation or discharge for various personal reasons or they may choose to not reenlist at the end of their contract. 1 John 2:19 acknowledges that this happens in the church also, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” However the severance happens, it is still a grave loss that the group must overcome and work through. Yet, it is not for us to deem any soldier unfit to serve. I used to sing a song in church years ago, by Steve Green, which told this story called “The Wounded Soldier.” It said,
See all the wounded, Hear all their desperate cries for help.
Pleading for shelter and for peace,
Our comrades are suffering, come let us meet them at their need, don’t let a wounded soldier die.
Chorus:
Come let us pour the oil, come let us bind their hurt.
Let’s cover them with a blanket of His love.
Come let us break the bread, come let us give them rest.
Let’s minister to healing to them, don’t let another wounded soldier die.
Obeying their orders, they fought on the front lines for our King.
Capturing the enemy’s stronghold,
Weakened from battle, Satan crept in to steal their lives, don’t let a wounded soldier die.
According to rules and regulations 1-33, ‘Laws of the Land’ outlining rules that soldiers in operation are responsible to obey, found on the internet are:
Soldiers fight only enemy combatants.
Soldiers do not harm enemies who surrender. They disarm them and turn them over to their superior.
Soldiers do not kill or torture any personnel in their custody.
Soldiers collect and care for the wounded, whether friend or enemy.
Soldiers do not attack medical personnel, facilities, or equipment.
Soldiers destroy no more than the mission requires.
Soldiers treat civilians humanely.
Soldiers respect private property and possessions.
Soldiers should do their best to prevent violations of the law of war.
Soldiers report all violations of the law of war to their superior.
As Christian soldiers we should learn to embrace these principles as well. Any injustice or infraction that we see should be reported to the highest authority, which is God, on our knees in prayer.
God is in the restoration business. He wants us to live for Him, not die or kill others along the way. We know that all the disciples were martyred for the cause of Christ, and we have even heard of modern day missionaries who have been put to death for the sake of the gospel. If we were to face this, we pray that we would be able to with grace; however, in the meantime, God wants us to live the abundant life that he purchased for us on the cross of calvary. He does not want us to walk around with a defeatist attitude as spiritual martyrs, but in victory, with strength, healing, and restoration. He is ready to leave the ninety-nine, if necessary, to ‘restore such a one,’ lost sheep. His restoration and forgiveness are immediate and complete when we come to him.
The story of the prodigal son portrays this concept. It tells of a child who was selfish and self-seeking. Yet the father was waiting for his return, and restored him back fully as a son, along with great celebration. We are often guilty of walking away like this son. In the account of the ten virgins in the bible we often relate more to the five who have gone out to buy oil, because theirs has run out, and they are not there when the bridegroom returns for the bride. Repeatedly we may fail or fall, yet, when God sees us coming back, he rejoices. We find out that he has been waiting for us all along. He does not put us in a saint or ministerial ‘time out’ chair for six months to a year, but he fully restores us.
Jesus said in Matthew 9:37-38, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.” The body of Christ needs to get healthy so they can begin restoring laborers that are needed for the harvest and soldiers who are needed to fight this warfare that we are facing. Healing and restoration come from within, by taking care of ourselves, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And by saying taking care of ‘ourselves,’ I mean one another. We are the body of Christ, and he is the Head. God is the Good Shepherd, we are his understudies, He is the Great Physician, we are his assistants. Let us be ministers of healing and restoration. There is no greater feeling than to be a part of restoring “such a one.” 1 Corinthians 6:11 says, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” Keep in mind as you go about your day, the wonderful grace and mercy of God by which you also have been restored.