Sting

He got me...and he got me good! I had just cleaned out the little fountain on our back patio...was putting the hose back in its place...and two wasps headed right way...one with a defined target in view..my shoulder...and he with great aggression stung the blazes out of me....and that was through a shirt sleeve. I had never been stung before...guess my time was due...but boy oh boy that that little flying critter have the power to sting. I swatted and swatted but couldn't get him to release his hold...finally I gave him my best womp...and I was freed of him but he left a "lasting" reminder that he had been there. For all of you who have been stung by a wasp...you know the feeling...and it hurts. I had no idea what to do so I went to the internet and read the following suggestions which I will share with you becasue who knows if one day you might be a wasp victim as well:

1) scrape bite aggressively with a credit card.. to remove stinger that was possible left behind
2) Wash with soap and water
3) Apply antibotic
4) Take Benedryl in case of allergic reaction...
5) Ice it down

Good advice...I followed each step...but it does get swollen and you do feel it for a while....I will proudly say my husband immediately found the nest when he got home, which was under the hose holder and gallantly destroyed it. Just kept thinking I was glad they didn't get one of the kids.

Now about stings....we all experience them at one point or another...maybe not from a wasp or a jelly fish or a bee etc....but we all at one time have been stung by words, actions, attitudes, or responses of others. Some are deliberately instigated as was the wasp attack...while others are mere expressions of a thought that was not to be taken mean but got tumbled around and landed so in our hearts. And we so many times are not prepared with effective means to combat the hurt so we internalize them...and allow them to maintain their sting sometimes for years. You know what I am talking about....I know you do...just think for a minute about something that was said or something that someone did that really hurt you deeply...see you can come right back to it....we think we have erased it...and we try to keep it tucked down under...but it is still there....it remains in tact. I know becasue I continue to experience those pop ups.

But I was thinking about this wasp sting....I knew right where to go to get help. And the instructions were simple and easy to understand. Well, we have a place to go when we are hurt by intended or unintended words of malice and/or actions as well. Straight to Jesus himself. He had his share of snares and malicious words and actions thrown at him which ultimately brought him to his death. Sometimes he defended himself in gentleness while other times he allowed the wandering accusations to be thrown about knowing that ultimately his truth and character would prevail. That is the deal with us....we are wounded when we lose confidence...when we forget who we are...we are king's kids....we are under the authority of a Heavenly, mighty, and awesome God who is here to protect us and guide us and give us strength ...His strength! He took words of malice with a grain of salt....becasue he was standing on a rock that could not be shaken...His Father's rock. Words, actions, intents...nothing could shake him...not even death. I want that!!!!!!!

Well I "can" have that...I just have to practice what I know to be true...and keep practicing...The steps are simple.

1) Believe that Christ is who he says he is...and follow his example and suggestions...
2) Let him scrape off the stings that I have allowed to remain tucked within thought the washing of his blood
3) Apply the balm of his love and grace...and forgiveness.
4) Take an extra dose of forgiveness....for we too have launched stings upon others...
5) Ice it down...don't let it swell up within you...

We have the capacity to sting and be stung...it hurts someone either way. And though we have a built in ability to sting and a vulnerability to be stung ...we are also equipped with defenses of Jesus to protect us from the sting and the power of Jesus to be self controlled so we are not the stingers. If we just practice what we have heard preached...we will be conquerors no matter where the swarms of life stingers land.

55"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"
It places the Christian in a position of strength, the great victory already having been won (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

Dear Lord, We get stung ...and we allow that sting to go untreated...and to swell up within us. It causes pain that generates discomfort in so many other areas of our lives. Help "us" to remember to "apply" your balm of love and grace and forgiveness ....in our lives...everyday and in everyway. You have overcome the sting of death yourself through your resurrection....may we live believing that and embracing that for our own lives through you whenever we are attacked by earthly stings. Amen

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!
website:
www.cathyjodeit.com
email address: cjodeit@gmail.com
The blog link below has all devotionals from the beginning of the year:

http://simplygod-cathy.blogspot.com/