BITS and PIECES
A random collection of news and views compiled by Frank McClelland for the Toronto Free Presbyterian Church.
231st Edition – February 23, 2025
A MODERN-DAY JONAH
Last week Adrian Simancas and his father Dall went out for a pleasant canoe trip on the Strait of Magellan off Chile’s Patagonian Coast.
Suddenly, a giant humpback whale surfaced beside Adrian’s kayak, opened its mouth, and Adrian found himself in the slimy interior of the whale’s mouth. Fortunately, the whale must not have liked the taste but spat him out. His father caught the whole episode on film.
We are reminded of the Biblical story of Jonah who was not so fortunate as Adrian because he spent three days in the fish’s belly before he was vomited on the shore.
Some try to write Jonah off as a myth, but the story has the highest attestation. Jesus Himself spoke of Jonah as a picture of His death [Matthew 12:40]. Jonah’s prayer from the whale’s belly is remarkable for it consists mainly of quotations from the Psalms. Check it out [Jonah 2:3ff]. You will be blessed.
THE CHRISTIAN AND SICKNESS
In life we experience many joys and sorrows. The joys we like, but the sorrows are not pleasant. One of these is sickness.
THE UNIVERSAL NATURE OF SICKNESS. It is everywhere. From the king to the subject, from the rich to the poor, the doctor and the patient, no door is strong enough, no wall high enough, to keep out the unwelcome visitor. In the Bible Job had boils, Namaan had leprosy, and young Timothy was ill.
Where did sickness come from? Not necessarily from a man’s sin [John 9:2,3] but because we are all sinners. Sickness can only be explained by mankind’s sin.
THE BLESSING OF SICKNESS. Sickness is a rough schoolmaster but a real friend. It reminds us of our mortality
[Job 30:23]. We live and we must die. It is a wise person that makes preparation for death. A major sickness often makes people think seriously about God, and it softens men’s hearts.
In my previous church a man steadfastly refused to attend church with his Christian wife and daughters. Then the Lord put him on his back in hospital where he thought about God and death. I had the joy of leading him to the Lord. He recovered his health and until his dying day never missed church. He was there with his wife and daughters. We are naturally proud, but sickness humbles us before God.
RELIEF FROM SICKNESS. None of us is immune from sickness, but the Lord has provided means of relief. He supplies the natural relief of physicians and medications as in the case of Timothy [I Timothy 5:23 & James 5:14]. Then there is spiritual relief as in the case of Paul [II Corinthians 12:9] where God’s servant was not healed but was encouraged by the words, “My grace is sufficient for thee.”
We are thus reminded that not all illnesses are healed, and that we shall die of some infirmity. There are, of course, special occasions where God steps in and provides supernatural healing. He is Jehovah Ropheka, “I am the Lord that healeth thee” [Exodus 15:26].
OUR BEHAVIOUR IN SICKNESS. We ought to live habitually prepared to meet God. We are all eventually going to get sick and die. After death comes judgment. Are you ready?
Bear sickness patiently. The Lord sometimes uses it to advance His will. The Psalmist said, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes” [Psalm 119:71]. Let us learn the lessons well. “Health is a good thing, but sickness is far better if it leads us to God”. [J.C. Ryle].
In Tandragee one of our deacons found himself in hospital and wondered why. The reason, apart from his illness, soon showed itself. In the bed opposite him an old man was very ill. He was the mechanic who had helped the famous Harry Ferguson (in 1909) build the first airplane in Ireland. When visiting my friend in hospital I, previously an aviation engineer, had the joy of leading him to the Lord. Humanly speaking, if my friend had not been ill, that happy event would never have happened.
Always be ready to help others. Jesus said, “I was sick and ye visited me” [Matt. 25:36]. He was not ill Himself, but kindness shown to others was as if we did it to Jesus.
It is a great encouragement to the sick to have a visit, phone call or text. It means so much to the afflicted.
