Hobbling around like an old man is not something I take kindly to. About two months ago, I noticed a pain in my right foot that was later diagnosed by the podiatrist as plantar fasciitis. He gave me some steroid pills that really did the trick, but that's not something you want to be on for any length of time. I'm too old for acne and fits of rage. My second visit was really fun; he stuck a needle in my heel to get the steroids to the heart of the matter. That did almost nothing. I've been doing the exercises, walking on the special inserts for my new shoes, icing the heel, just about everything I can think of apart from buying all the special apparatus advertised online, guaranteed to take care of the problem. It got so irritating today that I called for another appointment, something I really didn't want to do.
I don't know how this will all turn out. From what I've read, with the kind of stuff I'm doing, it should diminish over the course of about three months. Problem is, it's hard to work out when you can't put sudden pressure on your heel. By the time I get the heel fixed, I could be fat and lazy!
It amazes me to think of writing about my foot when there are such enormous issues facing us today, from ISIS to the national debt, with a bit of Supreme Court tomfoolery thrown in for good measure. I am blessed beyond measure when I think that this is the biggest problem I am facing at the moment. Worldwide, today there are more Christians being persecuted for their faith than at any other time in history. They are laying down their lives for Christ and forgiving their murderers. It could be depressing except for one thing: the promise of God. In our men's Bible study tonight, we read from St. Paul's letter to Titus, chapter 2:11-14
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."
The "present age" of which Paul spoke was morally corrupt and bankrupt, much like our culture today. Human life was cheap, politicians were on the take, the ordinary citizen bore a crushing tax burden, while the Roman Empire squandered the sacrifices of past generations with an expansive public dole. The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope we have in him came crashing head-on into the dominant culture which responded with cruelty and suppression of all dissenting opinion. The powers that were discovered to their dismay that Christianity was more than a dissenting opinion; it is the power of God to transform human life and give hope to those who had no hope. Salvation appeared to all men; no one could claim ignorance. Those who believed found a hope that blessed them as they looked for the glorious appearing of the great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
This is the same hope we have today, and it has the same power to transform society, one person at a time. God is not content to leave us captive to the sin that binds us. He redeems and sets us free from all the habits that hold us prisoner, transforming sinners into saints. Why would we choose to wallow in self-pity over the flawed reasoning of five justices? I choose instead to focus my mind and heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. It is there my hope is fixed, giving me a joy and gratitude surpassing all the rejoicing of the LGBT etc. community over this ruling. Christ is purifying his people, and that usually takes fire. Things may heat up, but God will use it to refine us to reflect his glory and love. What is a sore foot compared to all that?
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