I felt something behind my knee and kept swiping at it.  I felt it again – and upon further exploration found a tick hanging out on my leg.  What in the world is going on with ticks and me?  I don’t have fur and I don’t live in the woods.  However, I do walk outdoors; I also have two dogs and I do live in the heart of tick country. So, I guess I will continue to be a prime candidate for tick bites.

As I grabbed the tick and prepared to (with a flush) send him swirling down the porcelain throne I boldly told him, “Go ahead and bite me – I’m covered!”   (by the way – I looked this up this phrase to make sure I wasn’t accidentally saying something  bad.  As far as I know it’s okay.)

The tick said nothing in return.  He had no answer.

You see, I am in my third month of treatment for Lyme disease.  I take three antibiotics a day.   While I hope the end of the treatment is in sight, right now I’m still being treated so I feel confidently immune to this tick’s attack.  I don’t know if this feeling is medically sound, but I know I’m pretty much “antibiotically covered.”  Lyme bacteria may try to infiltrate me…but it’s not sticking!

This little visit with the tick reminded me of the scripture in 1 John 1:6-7

If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

I’ve got God’s Spirit in me.  I’m purposely walking in the light…so even when I mess up while trying to follow Jesus I’m continually cleansed from sin.

That’s amazingly comforting.

This scripture was further reinforced in my mind as I went to run some errands in inclimate weather this week.  It was raining hard outside.  As I drove down the interstate the rain seemed to come down harder and harder.  I was grateful for good windshield wipers.  I turned them on faster, and they kept wiping away the rain so I could see clearly despite the weather.

The above scripture reminds me of the windshield wipers.  They keep wiping away the rain allowing me to see clearly.  The blood of Jesus that covered me when I was baptized…( and keeps covering me as I walk in the light) continually cleanses me. It’s sort of like the windshield wipers and the antibiotics I’m taking that keep the Lyme from infiltrating.  So go on tick…bite me.  I’m covered.  And go ahead rain…keep on falling.  My windshield wipers are going strong.