I have a recurring issue with tendonitis in my ankle that is painful at times and makes me walk around with a slight limp but it eventually goes away in a week or so. I have seen a doctor about it and after a few x-rays, he found a small calcium deposit near the Achilles tendon that will irritate it every now and then.
Well, on Monday I was on the elliptical and I guess I irritated the tendon so my ankle is a bit swollen at the moment. The swelling is actually how the body reacts and fights the irritation.
Think about how an oyster makes a pearl. When a speck of sand gets in the oyster, as a defense mechanism, the oyster secretes a fluid to coat the irritant. Layer upon layer of this coating is deposited on the irritant until a lustrous pearl is formed. So in the middle of every pearl is a speck of sand - WOW!
In Matthew 13:46, the Church is represented by a pearl (of a great price) which a merchant goes on the hunt to buy. When we think about how a pearl is made and how it represents the Church, we also have to wonder what or who is the irritant that created the pearl?
The answer is quite simple - Jesus is the irritant that was buried in the oyster (the grave) and He became an anathema to Satan, death and hell; and after 3 days, death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him and He rose to life again. Praise the Lord forever more!
As I nurse my ankle back to health and wait for the swelling to go down so I can walk pain free again, I take the time to think about my Jesus who took upon Himself all my sins, all my sicknesses, and all my pains... and then conquered death, hell and the grave! I could spend my time whining and complaining about it and have a "why is this happening to me" session, but I choose not to. I believe you can always find something good to focus on in the midst of your trials.
Bless you,
Pastor Artie Kassimis
