Fatigue – that is the word of the last several weeks as I continue to heal from COVID. I had a very mild case of symptoms (fever [99] for only 1 day, didn’t lose smell, no head cold, etc) and for that I am soooo grateful…what I have had though is the normal case of fatigue that lasts several weeks for me. I have a hard time thinking (this does not help with work at all) and putting things together; even in prayer, I find it more difficult to formulate my requests and gratefulness. What is good is that I am fine and healthy…just constantly tired and ready for bed; it is easy to nap for brief periods as well. I know this will all pass as it has in the past but in the waiting time, it is frustrating.
My reading has been in both Luke and Romans. Luke is where my QT progress has been steady but I have also been staying on top of Romans as we are doing a study of that book in our Life Group. This week is Romans 6 and I am always so encouraged by this chapter and the one following. It covers how we should view our sin relative to the grace we have been given in Jesus’ death for our sin. When we became ‘born again’ we became dead to the old self and were born again into a righteousness that hates sin. Before we were saved, we lived in sin that did not allow us to seek righteousness…because of our sin and giving of our flesh over to impure thoughts, desires, and pursuits. Now that the ‘Old Man’ in me is dead and I have been raised to walk a new life in righteousness that I have received IN Jesus, I now have a new pursuit to be more like Him…and flee the evil desires of the old self.
When I then bump that up against the story of Jesus being born into the world, preceded by John the Baptist, and all of the redemptive confirmation of prophesy in the coming of Jesus; is just so amazing to know what I have IN HIm and see that He is intimately familiar with any pain or suffering I might endure. I feel so fortunate and grateful for what He has given me in Himself and the Hope that I have in Him and spending the rest of eternity with Him.
Marianne, Sophie, and I have been watching ‘The Chosen’ and although I am never one to assign my Savior the image and extrapolation the writers of the series have decided to invent to make the stories more deep, I do appreciate that help in seeing the culture and customs that Jesus and the disciples were navigating through Jesus’ life and ministry. There are really good moments that help me see the challenges Jesus might have had when returning to Nazareth and then becoming open about His identity as the Messiah; the disbelief and scoffing that He endured by His own family and friends as depicted in the show were probably a glimpse into how uncomfortable and isolating it must have been. At the end of the day, He did all of this for ME. He was thinking of me when He looked forward to the death He would endure. I am so thankful for my Savior and I owe Him everything.