I think I caught Hannah's cold through cyberspace. We've spent our weekly grocery money on cold medicine for me it seems -- vapour rub, nasal spray, sudafed; my husband's bringing home cough syrup for chesty coughs (that's how things are designated here) and Kleenex. I'm in bed on a Sunday morning missing out on worship. That just stinks.
So when I woke up at 5 am coughing and fully awake (for me at least around that hour) I started thinking about illness and bringing God glory. Although I probably feel quite sorry for myself now, my sickness is nothing more than an annoyance when it comes down to it and in a week or so will be remembered no more. I do not have a chronic illness or cancer or something that keeps me confined to my bed. I really have nothing to complain about. This little dose of perspective is something which can begin to cure my "I'm-sick-help-poor-pathetic-me" blues.
But proceeding from this perspective, how do I live now, being sick, to the glory of God? I could give you a whole lot of Christian answers now: using my time to pray more, reading my Bible more, writing notes to other believers, reading more Christian books, etc. I'm not so much concerned about what things that have to do with Christianity I could do now, but more along a Nancy Pearcy-esque line of how do I live out my sickness Christianly? (I'm just now getting to terms with how much of my life is not lived out according to a Christian worldview -- but instead is Christ tacked on to things rather than a pervading of all I am and think and do -- and am trying to construct one in the little instances first). I think a lot of the problem is that I've usually thought of the word 'Christian' primarily in its use as an adjective -- to do various Christian things -- rather than as an adverb, to do everything Christianly, in a manner worthy of Christ. I don't have an immediate answer right now (and I'm sure my cold medicine will kick in soon and I'll soon be asleep) but I think the question is worth posing. I think my initial thoughts on the wider perspective of the gospel, of the church and of Christ being preeminent definitely begin to answer the question. But I'll also put it to you: How can/do you live out your life today Christianly?
