New Name, Same Disease

I have a disease. It was first diagnosed in 1986 as Glandular Fever. In 1988 it was diagnosed as Epstein Barr Virus Syndrome. Then in 1995 I was told I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I just learned that my disease has a new name, Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease. It is a new name, but I still have the same disease I got in 1986. The symptoms vary a little, but it is still the same disease.

The intensity of the disease has varied over the decades. When the intensity is high--like now--I spend a lot of time lying on my back doing nothing, or at least trying to do nothing. During this time, I am never really alone. There is someone else who is known by many names--the great dragon, the ancient serpent, the devil, Satan, and the deceiver of the whole world [Rev 12.9]--who is constantly prowling around like a roaring lion, trying to devour my soul. He sows into my mind seeds of guilt, bitterness, lust, pride, despair, fantasies, or whatever fancies him at the moment.

Why does the dragon bother with someone so insignificant as me? Because of the other person who is always with me whom the dragon hates. This person has more names that anybody--King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Son of Man, Son of David, Son of God, Lamb of God, Word of God, Redeemer, Savior, Healer, Judge, Rabbi, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with Us. He is with me. [Rev 17.14; Isa 9.6; etc.]

There is a battle over my soul. The dragon seeks to destroy, while Emmanuel seeks to redeem. Emmanuel uses different weapons than the dragon. Recently he has been using phrases of hymns or worship songs that I am familiar with: "Majesty, worship his majesty," ... "who would have thought that a lamb could rescue the souls of men," ... "singing until the evening comes." ... Sometimes just a fragment of a tune and one or two words play over and over in my head, and I wrack my brain trying to  remember what song the fragment is from, so I can sing more of it. (Sometimes I have to resort to the internet.) All these songs are rooted is scripture, the Word of God. As long as I receive these musical fragments graciously and meditate on them, the dragon is kept at bay.

The battle has many names and takes many forms throughout history from Gen 3 to Rev 20, but it is the same battle through the ages. Remember, keep on singing until the evening comes.