You think YOU’VE got problems? Oh sure. Maybe you got a flat tire today or your dog got lose and you had to chase her down. Could be that you fell flat on your face in front of all of your friends. Maybe you bit down too hard on a piece of candy and broke a tooth. That’s nutten … I have dual ear infections.

That’s right. One in each ear. (I find it’s always best to spread them out.) I was feeling pretty well in that “grading on a curve” kind of way when I got to the doctor’s office. Yeah, I was there because my left ear had been hurting a bit. Then it started sounding like somebody was holding a glass of water over it. Finally Bailey the Killer Beagle barked today and I knew I had a problem. I actually yelled so loud from the pain that she stopped barking and ran to her cage. So I called the doctor. The nurse said, “Come on in.” Easy for her to say. I’m in Bethalto. They are in West County. But I went.

Things went downhill from there. First they told me that my temperature was 101. That rather surprised me. Then they looked in my ear and told me it was infected. No surprise there. Except they said it looked like it was on fire inside. Next they broke the news that my right ear was almost as bad. Hmmm. It had not even hurt yet. All of this culminated with their revealing that it was going to get worse before it gets better. The doc said that by Sunday (preachen day) I would most likely be ABOUT to start getting better. He expects that I will be hearing my own voice echo in my head on Sunday. Monday things will begin to improve. He thought this was all funny. A preacher having to hear himself preach. I mentioned that he might deal with me when I am sick but someone like me will do the bury’en when he’s dead. He prescribed antibiotics and codeine.

But do you see what I mean? You don’t have any problems. Oh, I don’t mean that my pain is worse than yours or that my problem is longer lasting. I simply mean that what with the predicted echo in my head and all I will have to listen to myself preach TWICE this Sunday.
Ok, I said all of that for one simple reason. You needed to smile. You did. Admit it! In one of his songs the Christian artist Chris Rice sings to God, “Do you ever play tricks on the angels?” You know, that is an interesting question! I was not smart enough to wonder that. But isn’t God good! (Answer: Yes.) God is not only good. He is almighty. He is sovereign. He is grace-full. He is life. He is truth. He is healing. He is just. He is eternal. He is love. He is peace. He is joy. He is holy. He is near. He is far. He is deep. He is wide. He is food for the hungry. He is water for the thirsty. He is rest for the weary. He is security. He is fearsome. He is stronger than strong. He is wiser than wise. He is smarter than smart.

He is.

Really.

And he has you and me in His hand. He has never dropped one yet. You will not be the first.