Sustained to the End
Today, I have been gradually overcoming my cold symptoms. Hopefully tomorrow, I will wake up to more of a “normal” day. I had my neurologist appointment today for a nerve conduction test on my legs. After two and a half hours and feeling like a pin cushion the appointment came to an end. My left leg is looking good (which I already knew), my right leg is still showing some slower nerve regeneration, which hinders muscle development.
I thought that report was pretty encouraging enough, but my doctor thought it would be good to perform a spinal tap. That almost makes me want to stop going to doctors. 🙂 He did show me the MRI pictures of the restriction in my spinal cord around C5, C6 vertebrae. He thought it would be good to get a consult from a neurosurgeon. (Did I say that almost makes me want to stop going to doctors?) Perhaps I should just make sure that I don’t play tackle football and sleep with my head propped up to keep pressure off my spinal cord. If you see me walking around with my chin down, now you will know why! (just kidding). Since I have not had any symptoms the spinal cord issue doesn’t seem to be a major concern, even though the consult was recommended.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus…. so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:4-7
As I am reading through 1 Corinthians once again, I find myself drawn to the affirming and positive words of Paul in the opening verses. This is because for the following chapters Paul will address at least issue after issue that the Corinthians were getting wrong or about which they needed correction. This should be encouraging for us all!
God’s grace through Christ is not a response to our goodness, or having our act together. Grace is unmerited favor. God’s grace saves us, sustains us, and helps us to grow as we look forward to the return of the Lord.
God’s grace bestows gifts to empower and work through our lives even as we experience the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in His church.
And in the midst of it all God’s grace sustains us to the end and allows us to be guiltless when Christ returns. I am drawn to both being “sustained” and “guiltless.” When you look a the Corinthians your find them guilty of divisions, guilty of relying on human wisdom, guilty about tolerating sin in the Church, guilty of suing fellow church members, guilty about violating the principles of marriage, guilty in abusing the Lord’s supper, guilty regarding the return of the Lord, just to name a few.
So when Paul says Christ will sustain you to the end and you will be found guiltless, that is good news! Christ will never give up and never let go. A song by Phillips, Craig and Dean says it well in these words…
You feel that you have fallen
His arms are longer still
And He wants you to know, He’ll never let you go