Day of Reckoning

Today I have six hours of surgery scheduled for my gums and teeth. I am told that after the surgery I will experience swelling, bruising, and severe pain for several days. In all it will be 6-8 eight weeks before I will have all my dental and periodontal work completed and finally have this nasty project behind me.

I do not look forward to it. (If you are so led, please say a little prayer for me this morning. My ordeal begins at 10AM. Also if you do not receive WFTD for a few days, it will be because I cannot sit at my computer.)

I have no one to blame other than me. Years of neglect and meth addiction ruined my teeth some forty years ago and I have suffered with them all of this time, but this is my “Day of Reckoning”. The Bible tells us that there is a consequence for our sin and I believe this is just another in a long string of consequences that I have endured resulting from my dark days of sin.

I discovered some years back that I am infected with the deadly Hepatitis C Virus. I either got it from intravenous drug use, or the numerous blood transfusions that were the result of a head on collision caused by me driving a vehicle while intoxicated. So far at least it has remained largely inactive and is quiet, but at any time it could rage like a forest fire and start attacking my liver and potentially take my life.

Prior to its exacting its vengeance I could deny this disease its fun and maybe drown after being pulled overboard by a thousand pound plus Australian Black Marlin, or perhaps get gored to death by a charging Cape Buffalo in Zambia or some similar fate, but I have been told by the doctors that one thing is certain; the Hep C will never go away and if I don’t die from something else and live long enough, there will be a Day of Reckoning and I will have to deal with it just like I am dealing with my teeth and gums today.

I for one do not believe that God receives any joy in seeing me endure the consequence of my sin, but nonetheless it must be exacted. I believe that sin is governed by incontrovertible laws and their premise is that for every action there must be a reaction. If we hurl a stone at a window, it will shatter the glass regardless of whether or not we regret throwing it the moment it leaves our hand. The same holds true for sin. Lives are often shattered because of it and like a runaway freight train roaring towards destruction, all of the regret in the world cannot stop it once it has been set in motion. (Just ask Tiger Woods about that one.)

Fortunately Christians just have to endure these consequences for the remainder of our life on this earth. After we die, (or go to meet the Lord in the Rapture), our sin debt will have been paid for us by Jesus Christ and all of our sins “will be remembered no more”.

I believe the Bible is written for two main purposes. Most importantly to instruct us as to how we can gain salvation and forgiveness for our sins through the blood of Christ and thereby join God forever in paradise. Secondly the Bible has been given to us in order to teach us how we can enjoy whatever remains of this life to the maximum when we fulfill God’s purpose for our lives and obey His commandments.

If we choose to deny Christ and/or go our own way instead of His way, and we sin against God and disobey His laws, we will endure consequences. When we do, make no mistake about it, there will come a Day of Reckoning. The best advice I could offer anyone towards smooth sailing through the remainder of this life is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and obey His commandments and avoid the angst.

Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.