The thorn
The title of my blog, “As I Walk,” is comical to me at this writing because I haven’t been able to walk much in the past three weeks. I stepped on something very sharp. I favored my foot for a couple of days, but after trying to dig out whatever I had stepped on, I could tell there was something still embedded in it.
One morning I awoke and knew I was at a new level of discomfort. The pain was incredible, and yes, my foot was infected. A trip to the doctor was inevitable. He told me if I had waited another day I would have ended up in the hospital on an IV of antibiotics. Really? From a small object in my foot I couldn’t even see?
During a very pain-filled hour or so of needles being put in the bottom of my feet, the doctor cut and probed and tried to find the elusive thorn. We thought he had it. I kept telling myself day after day that it was getting better. The antibiotics -- “horse pills” that cost $84 for a set of eight -- helped, but I sensed the foreign object was still there.
Then one night I pulled the scab off and pressed down. Presto! There it was! As you can see next to the Q-tip in the photo, the thorn was quite long. No wonder it was painful.
I thought of the children’s story about the lion that had a thorn in his paw. How can something so small render so much pain?
That thorn is kind of like sin in our lives. Although we may know that sin is sin to God -- big or small, it is still sin -- we have a tendency to create big and little sins in our minds. However, anything that separates us from a right relationship with God should be big to us as Jesus Christ’s followers.
The thorn in my foot represents how debilitating a small sin can be, making us ineffective. If left untreated (unconfessed), it can also create a bigger infection.
Thankfully, God has given a quick remedy for sin in our lives. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” No need for painful needles or surgery! Just a heart to confess it and a will to turn from it.
Thank You, Lord, for Your heart of mercy. Thank You for taking the thorn from my paw!
About the Author
Kami Scott
Kami Scott is a prayer- and Bible-based counselor who focuses on marriage and addiction counseling and using the “Steps to Freedom in Christ” by Neil Anderson. She has been trained in communication and conflict resolution skills. Kami lives in Superior, Wis. She co-founded Twin Ports Prayer Force with her mother, Corinne, in 2000. Kami loves speaking and performing Gospel concerts.
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Comments (2)
Dear Kami,
I pray you had a wonderful Happy Easter as I did. yes my name is John and I worked with your Mom Corrine at D.O.T. Wisconsin not too long ago. Anyway this past "Good Friday" I was puttering around in our year dog on a leash with one hand and removing dead leaves from a Canadian rose bush with other when suddenly I felt a small sharp touch on a left finger thinking nothing of it and continued my work. I should have been in church but was awaiting the arrival of ReNAe my wife from dialysis at Saint Mary's Superior. In short time my hand felt wet and sure enough the small touch of the rose thorn caused bleeding but with no pain. I though wow no pain bleeding and then I thought off "Our Lord Jesus" on the cross hung for our sins to die have been beaten and scourged and crowned with thorns. Not that I hurt or bled but my thought of "Jesus" crowned on his head with much bigger thorns driven deep into ho=is head must have been excrutiating. I wnet in to clean my wound reminded of His suffering for our sin. Much like your thorn the pain He suffered was far worse then both of us combined. Kami thanks for this reminder and your story. I pray your healing has come. God Bless and keep writing. In Jesus Name. John Fryt
Thank you too John. I pray you are healed as well! I will also pray for your wife Renae as well:) Kami