Cartoonology. There is great theology in cartoons and comics.
I spent a lot of time on a bicycle as a kid, and had my share of accidents. There is one, however, that stands out above all. A friend of mine needed someone to double with him down to the train depot so that he could get his truck. The other would return the bike. I volunteered and climbed up on the handlebars. This was not uncommon. I had ridden a bike with three of us on it before. What was uncommon about this trip was that I accidentally stuck my foot in the spokes of the front wheel resulting in both of us being sprawled out on the hard surface road bleeding and bruised. The force of the wheel tore my shoe off and left a huge gash in it. The wheel was destroyed. What spokes left on it were like spaghetti. We took quite a beating. Needles to say, we were both pretty sore for a few days afterward.
The Apostle Paul had taken quite a beating of a different nature during his ministry. See 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 for a list of them. They included whippings, beatings, stoning, shipwreck, imprisonment, hunger thirst and more, and all for the sake of the Gospel. Paul wore his scars like a badge of honor.
Galatians 6:14,17 (NKJV)
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
You and I may never experience such suffering for the cause of Christ, but plenty of others have down through the centuries. However, we will suffer to some degree if we take a stand for Christ, and that should compel us to simply grow stronger in our commitment to Him. Our own society and government from local to federal levels have grown rather hostile toward the church and Christianity, and we will most likely suffer more as the Day of the Lord approaches (Acts 2:17-21). Take courage as a soldier of the cross (2 Timothy 2:1-4, Ephesians 6:10-18). God will bless you beyond measure for it. 03-09-09
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