A Talon

Labelled Radiographic Anatomy, Michael L. Richardson, M.D., University of Washington Radiology Web Lab

There comes a time when our own bodies work against us. Beloved Husband has reached that point. His body is working so against him that it is cutting into a tendon, making a hole that must be surgically repaired.

His left shoulder bone (please, I don’t know the correct bone names – we’re not on speaking terms) has served him well for nigh on to seventy years. We don’t know how long ago it began to develop an arthritic bone spur, don’t know how long it took to reach the point where it reached down from the acromion and touched the tendon covering his shoulder joint. We do know from some very clear MRI graphics that it has been there long enough to actually create a hole by poking and rubbing. I wish I could show that graphic instead of the generic above.

The surgeon referred to it as a “talon” and it does appear to have a curved shape. Although not as sharp as a predator’s talon, it is sharp enough that movement causes it to press deeper and be more and more painful.

Thanks to the doctors who can, and will in a few short weeks, remove this pain. It does bring to my mind why Paul wrote of flesh and sin.

For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. (Romans 7:5 KJV)

Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. (Galatians 4:13 KJV)

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17 KJV)

Our spirit and our flesh truly are contrary one to another. To continue to sin after knowing God’s plan for our lives is similar to building a talon that tears at us spiritually. It causes pain. Actually, sin itself causes pain – often to our flesh, certainly to our hearts (and the hearts of those who love us), just as much as to our spirit.

Galatians 5:19-21 has a rather lengthy list of the works of the flesh. Each of them brings pain. The next two verses list the fruit of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God that dwells with us as the Comforter promised by Christ:

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26 KJV)

Check it out with scriptures and prayer to God to provide His truth. Is this of God, or not? He has promised to all men that those who seek Him will find Him.

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: (Isaiah 55:6 KJV)

Why? For me, it is to be able to say with King David:

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. (Psalms 115:1 KJV)