Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10
On November 19th, I was stepping over a piece of exercise equipment, slipped, and fell against the wall. My right arm hasn’t been the same. After seven weeks of physical therapy, they did an MRI and found three torn tendons in my shoulder – two partial and one full tear. My rotator cuff surgery is scheduled for Wednesday. There must be some lessons learned, like maybe don’t put any exercise equipment in your home. (Instead, I strongly recommend getting a membership at the Indianola Community Wellness Center – I was never injured by any of their equipment!)
I’m not really worried about my upcoming surgery. My father was a surgeon and I tend to trust them. My view is simple: if they can cut something to fix a problem, then go ahead and do it. I’d prefer a surgeon who can correct a physical defect to medications that only mask the issue. The physical therapy was an important attempt at a repair, but it’s time to get ’er done.
There seem to be some biblical analogies here. Take sin for example. We fall into temptation and pretend that the problem is short-lived – as if we just need to find a way to avoid whatever tempted us – but the real problem lies below the surface. We can address the resulting pain, perhaps apologizing and receiving forgiveness. But God tells us in His Word that we need a heart surgeon. James, the brother of Jesus, wrote: “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:1-2). Then, not mincing words, he adds, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8).
Ezekiel explains that we need a heart transplant, with the Holy Spirit as the attending physician: “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and be careful to obey My rules” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
Said the other way around, without the Holy Spirit, you are going to continue offending God, others, and yourself – just masking the real issue. You need your sinful passions severed from your heart. You need to see lust as not just inappropriate, but evil. You need to know that covetousness and gossip are damaging.
Will God do this? After all, He’s seen the MRI: your heart is full of wickedness. So, yes, He promises to give His people a new heart. WHEN will God do this? He grants His people spiritual growth according to His gracious plan. HOW will God do this? He uses the “ordinary means of grace” (the Word, Sacraments, and prayer) to sanctify His people. WHAT does this mean for you? It’s time to stop relying on yourself and get some surgery.
See that He is the one who heals.
My surgery is scheduled for this Wednesday. Your surgery is scheduled for this Sunday. God’s people obediently gather to worship Him on the Lord’s Day. They hear God’s Word preached, they observe baptisms and the Lord’s Supper. They pray with and for each other. This Sunday, take your heart to church and join with those who receive the ordinary means of grace.
Let’s be clear: God will do what He will do, regardless of your actions. But maybe you’ve been pretending for too long that you can do this on your own. Maybe life’s stresses have provoked such fear in you that you are pridefully striving to do it on your own. Instead, Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
My right hand needs a new rotator cuff. And I know just where to find someone with a scalpel and a steady right hand. May God sever your pride from your heart this week. Jesus’s righteous right hand knows exactly what and where to cut.
Don’t just take my word; these are “The words of Him who has the sharp two-edged sword” (Revelation 2:12). Yes, you are weak, but He is strong.
