(for The Citizen column 'From the Minister's Study' - week of Aug.1/19)
How
does your belief-system stand up in the face of life’s most painful
experiences?
Saturday
July 13 seemed to be proceeding pretty well. I had gotten some chores done
around home, and later that afternoon was working through a short ‘honey-do
list’ my fiancée had suggested for me over at her place. I managed to trim the
tops off some fenceposts using my chainsaw without getting too disturbed by the
spatter of rain that passed through. Finally there was just one item left on
the list: set fire to the ‘burn pile’ that had been accumulating back behind
her woodlot.
It
was a large burn pile, about nine feet in diameter, having accumulated all
winter long. Conditions for ignition seemed optimal: the pile was surrounded by
lush green herbage and a shower had dampened the surrounding ground. At home I
would have sprinkled on some used motor oil, but since I wasn’t there, instead
I sprinkled on a couple of litres of gasoline, which I did not figure was too
much because it was such a large pile. Having carefully set the gas can over to
one side out of danger’s way, I leaned over with a BBQ lighter and – in what
probably classifies as the most FOOLISH act of this decade of my life –
lit...what blew up in my face like an incendiary bomb! Apparently gasoline is not something to use on a warm summer
day because the vapours are so volatile.
I
staggered back, stunned by the force of the blast. Since it was a warm day, I
was wearing just shorts, socks, and shoes, and my glasses – thankfully,
otherwise I don’t know if I would have been blinded. My exposed skin seemed
covered with short brown crispy items - burnt hair? My chest hair was
completely gone; eyebrows and beard half singed.
My
immediate reaction was to go and lay face-down on the nearby grass, in hopes
this would somehow salve the pain. Then I curled up my knees to my chest,
wrapped my stinging arms around them, and dutifully waited 20 minutes watching
the flames to make sure the fire wasn’t going to get out of control. I
proceeded to the house and submerged myself for half an hour in lukewarm water
in the bathtub. When I got out, I found I was shaking uncontrollably so decided
I had better go to Emergency at the hospital. The doctor assessed the burns to
the exposed parts of my body, consulted the Burn Unit at London, and
administered pain relievers. After a couple of hours I was allowed to go home,
subsequent follow-up having been arranged through Care Partners and my family
doctor.
It
has been a most uncomfortable couple of weeks! Some nights I could sleep a
couple of hours at a stretch before getting up to take additional pain
medication. I was very concerned about my right leg – its colour seemed quite
inflamed, it became painful to stand on, and I was afraid I would develop
flesh-eating disease. Thankfully, patches of healthy pale skin began to emerge,
between doses of Aloe Vera and Afterburn gel. The clinic nurses were especially
gentle applying Adaptic mesh, Polysporin, and clean dressings every couple of
days, teaching me how to care for myself. So far my legs, face, torso, and
right arm have almost completely healed, and the left arm is coming along
nicely. At my final clinic visit the nurse observed I’m “a good healer”.
The
pain of being burned is not one I would ever want to experience again! Considering
what might have been the outcome, I feel blessed, I have gotten off
extremely lightly. A warning to be more careful next time, and a reminder to
appreciate the health I have.
The
incident reminded me of the three Hebrews in Daniel 3 who refused to bow down
and worship the golden image set up by a Babylonian tyrant, Nebuchadnezzar. He
warned them they would be thrown into a blazing furnace unless they complied
with his command. The depth of their faith evident in their reply is arresting:
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us
from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not,
we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the
image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18) They had faith God was able to
rescue them; but even if He did not, there were still not going to bow down to
an idol!
As it
turned out, they were tossed into the fiery furnace, but a fourth figure
looking like “a son of the gods” was seen accompanying them, protecting them
from harm. Their trust in the Lord did not prove unfounded.
Their
defiant resistance captured in three short words (“But if not”) became the
stimulus for the deliverance of over 330,000 troops of the British Expeditionary
Force from Dunkirk in May 1940. That was the message cabled by a British
officer back to headquarters that spurred many civilian fishermen and pleasure
craft operators to join in the gargantuan evacuation effort.
The
moderate pain and discomfort of my wounds has also prompted me to reflect on
Christ Jesus’ pain endured on our behalf. Mainly just the front of my
body was affected; in His case, His back was beaten and torn to shreds by
scourging; vicious soldiers tore out his hair, clamped thorns to his head, and
knocked him about; and the nails of the cross cut to the heart of sensitivity
of his nervous system. Yet He chose to undergo such pain in order that you and
I might be forgiven and brought to a Holy God, cleansed sinners reclaimed from
hellfire. “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he
suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges
justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die
to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”
(1Peter 2:23-24)
The burn pile mishap was a close call for me. Thankfully,
my wounds are healing up; His wounds – heal others... to save us from eternal
flames. (c.f. Mark 9:48)
