Hello,
There is a spot in the middle of my back that I cannot reach. Maybe there was a time when I was more
nimble and pliable and it was within my reach, but not now. This weekend and the weekend before as
I was mowing my lawn a deer fly landed right on that spot, and try as I might I
could not get my hand to that spot and swat it off, I could not. So, apparently knowing its safe landing
spot, it sat there drooling with Pavlovian delight at the meal that sat before
it (my back) until it spotted the most tender piece of my flesh and it sank its
teeth into my back as if it was plunging a fork and steak knife into my back
sending my arms flailing like a helicopter trying to slap it off my back. I don’t know if deer flies can laugh,
but I believe I heard it do so as it watched me unsuccessfully flapping away.
The bite, as painful as its pinch may have been, was not the worst of
it, though. Apparently there is
some toxin that deer flies pass on in their bites that does not sit well with
my autoimmune system that sets off an itch that is unrelenting….remember, an
itch that I cannot reach. To rub
salt into the wound, the itch from the first bite was finally beginning to
dissipate after a week of torture when the second fly made a meal of my back
setting of another week of unreachable, unrelenting itching.
Deer flies are not the only thing in the world that have a way of
finding those spots on us that we cannot reach to swat them off, and then with
ruthless delight they make a meal
of us…a meal that leaves a residue of torturous, unreachable itching. A death. A divorce. A
disaster. A disappointment. An economic downturn…..all deer flies
of life-size proportion and pain.
Although there are some Christians who speak of the Christian faith as
some sort of force field of protection against life’s deer flies…the deeper and
stronger your faith, the fewer bites you will incur because of divinely favored
protection….I am not one of them, and I don’t believe that Jesus was one of
them either. I have seen those of
the deepest faith get bit over and over again, and you would have to ignore an
awful lot of stuff the happened to Jesus to contend that he lived life
unbitten.
Jesus said, “‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying
heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from
me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
So, when the deer fly lites and bites hear Jesus’ invite. He will reach where you cannot reach
and swat the deer fly away, and when the itch takes hold he will soothe it with
the gentle scratching of love and mercy, and apply a balm of forgiveness and shepherding
care (Psalm 23). That is what
happens every Sunday morning when we gather together at church. So, if you’re bitten…and who isn’t…come
to church this Sunday and join the rest of us who itchers in need of a “itch
relief”…relief that Jesus delights in giving.
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace,
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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