Thank God for Pneumonia

As Christmas arrived in our house this year, so did a minor plague. Everyone had some sort of coughing, aching, stuffy-head, fever thing. I got pneumonia. (It is still funny to recall the doctor saying, "You have pneumonia," and me responding, "No, I don't.")

The result of the illness was that for more than a week I was forced to do virtually nothing but lay around and cough and wheeze and moan. It also meant that, because we were all at various stages crud infestation, our whole family was sealed inside our house...together...with no possibility of parole.

By day four I was convinced that God had sent these people (aka my kids) as thorns in the flesh, messengers of Satan, and I was considering the best way to beseech the Lord to remove them. It seemed as if my kids were bent on rebellion and meanness and disobedience and bad table manners! They were acting like...like...sinners!

I couldn't believe these were my kids. I remember as a much younger man saying, "If I ever have kids, they will never act like that!" And here were my kids acting just like that. Something had gone horribly wrong.

I tried to reason with them. No good. I tried to intimidate them. Nothing. I tried to plead with them. They thought the fever had got the best of me, and I think it scared them...but not enough to intimidate them into changing their behavior.

Then it dawned on me. My kids are sinners. They need Christ.

Then something else dawned on me. It is my job to lead them to Christ.

As a pastor, you would think that this would be a "no-brainer" for me. I've read Deuteronomy 6. I've read the Proverbs. I've read Ephesians 6. I know it is my responsibility to be the spiritual leader in my home. I've even preached on it!

But during this week of hacking and wheezing and other consequenses of the Fall, God turned on the light for me. He stopped me from all of my "knowing" and gave it to me in a way I would really get it.

My wife said four of the most profound words she has ever said to me (right after, "Honey, I am preganant). She said, "We need to repent."

Thank God for pneumonia. In my weakness His power was made perfect. Even now as I wrestle with the ramifications of Deuteronomy 6 in a fresh way, it is clear that it will only be by His redeeming grace that I will be equipped to lead my children into His truth. And I trust that His grace will be sufficient.