They say to write what you know about.  Well, this is a subject that I really know about!  When I was in high school, I injured my right knee.  The pain was so bad I thought I wasn’t going to be able to bear it.  But in time, it repaired fairly well.  Not well.  Just fairly well.  I kind of had to ‘baby’ it all my life.  And in inclement weather (rainy or very cold), my knee let me know that it had healed only ‘fairly well’, indeed!

A couple of years ago while disembarking a plane in Germany, I hit the same knee on metal on the seat in front of me resulting in crushed cartilage, bruised ligaments, further damage to the meniscus – and all on top of some existing osteoarthritis. To make a long story short and to not burden you with the unbearable pain incurred, I had arthroscopy.  Even after that procedure and a lot of PT, I walk with a limp.  More than likely, I will walk for the rest of my life with a limp . . .

That’s a physical limp.  There are many physical ‘limps’, so to speak, with which we may have to live.  When I was in the seventh grade, I had to begin to wear glasses for distance.  To me that was a ‘limp’ that began to effect my psyche, more than its being a physical impediment.  Then there are lisps, hearing losses, and on and on.  All types of ‘limps’.  You get the idea.

Then I became aware that there are spiritual ‘limps’.  Think of Moses, David, Jonah, the apostles, Peter and Paul, you – me for instance.  Moses experienced fear/committed murder.  David had several wives, lusted after another man’s wife and had him sent into battle where he would be killed.  What spiritual ‘limps’ it left them with for the rest of their lives!  We can all be left with one of those from making wrong decisions in life.  Once again, I’m writing about what I know.

Most often, our physical impediments could not have been helped.  But I think our spiritual ones could have.  I used to tell my students that life is all about choices. Think!  Be careful!  And those choices can be anything from what we eat, to whom we hang out with, to the choice of schools and career, to whom we marry – and most importantly, what we do with Jesus . . .

I regret many of my life-choices, but I thank God that He is tenderly and lovingly forgiving – that I John 1.9 is in the Bible.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  I thank Him that He is the God of second, third, fourth and more ‘chances’.  I thank Him that despite Paul (Saul’s) former life resulting in his ‘limps’, the Lord chose to use him in such a marked way in Scripture for all time!

And, in spite of my spiritual ‘limp(s)’, I am amazed that God would ever choose me for anything! – to serve Him with the gifts that He gave me – in any capacity.  I thank Him for accepting me, ‘limps’ and all.  And about my physical limp?  Really, it’s okay if I limp/hobble the rest of my way Home!