Deuteronomy 28:1-6
“If you fully obey all of
these commandments of the Lord your God, the laws I am declaring to you
today, God will transform you into the greatest nation in the world.
These are the blessings that will come upon you:
Blessings in the city,
Blessings in the field;
Many children,
Ample crops,
Large flocks and herds;
Blessings of fruit and bread;
Blessings when you come in,
Blessings when you go out.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
We have a system that we
use with Timothy and his siblings to promote good behavior when they
visit us. I have little cards that have a spot for the child’s name,
and boxes with numbers 1-20. Each time the child does something good, I
punch a number. When the card has all of its boxes punched, the child
gets to pick a “prize”. My brother-in-law calls this bribery...but you
can see from this scripture passage that the “if/then” method of
“behavior modification” is nothing new!
The children have seen
the prize basket. They know what is in there and what they are working
toward, and they are motivated to earn those toy cars, dinosaurs, tiny
baby dolls, and more. These are mostly thrift-store or Dollar Tree®
finds...nothing expensive or extraordinary. But the children really
work hard to do what is asked of them so that they can earn those
punches – and a prize! There ARE consequences for bad choices and
behaviors. But by putting the focus on doing what is right, we avoid
most conflicts and infractions. At school, Timothy’s kindergarten
teacher refers to this as “making excellent choices”.
There is a
bigger payoff...the children build a sense of responsibility for their
actions, a feeling of pride in doing what is right, and a delight in
showing their mom and others the fully punched cards and hearing, “You
did a good job! I’m proud of you!” I don’t think it’s all that
different for us as Christians...or it shouldn’t be.
God has
clearly laid out the “rules and consequences”. He has told us what He
expects of us...and what blessings will be ours as a result of our
obedience. He has told us that “the wages of sin are death”...and that a
life without Christ will keep us from spending Eternity in heaven. And
as I have pointed out before, God’s blessings are so numerous...and
Jesus’ sacrifices on our behalf were so tremendous...that we should be
filled with desire to honor and obey out of our own sense of devotion
and gratitude.
I don’t know about you, but I am appreciative of
the “health and blessings” that God provides. I don’t mind knowing what
is required of me...and doing all I can to live up to those
expectations. I feel so much better about myself when I know that I am
pleasing God and operating within His will for my life. And I look
forward to the day when I meet Jesus face-to-face and hear, “Well done!
I’m so proud of you! Welcome Home!!!”
There is healing power in
the “rules and consequences” of God. We have a clear “prescription”
for how to live as disciples of Christ. And like all people, we have a
choice to make...we can “follow the Doctor’s orders” and be healthy...or
we can set the “medicine” on the shelf and try to do things on our own.
We pretty well know what the end results will be. So what choices will
YOU make today? Will they be “excellent”, healthy, and pleasing to
God...or not?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Acts 10:37-38
“You know the story of what
happened in Judea. It began in Galilee after John preached a total
life-change. Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the
Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping
people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was
able to do all this because God was with him."
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
When
we think of “healing”, we think of some sort of physical illness or
injury. But everywhere you look, people are in need of “healing” from
all kinds of “ailments”. Students are struggling with homework
assignments and concepts they can’t seem to grasp and retain. Parents
are concerned about every aspect of the lives of their children. There
are people struggling with bills, jobs, physical illnesses and injuries,
loneliness, relationship issues, and grief. Seniors have a plethora of
troubles related to aging and declining health. And we haven’t even
mentioned those “sicknesses” that grip our headlines...abuse of children
and spouses..., conflict and combat in American cities and on foreign
soil...retaliatory beheadings and senseless brutality...and even natural
disasters like drought, wildfires and flooding. We truly are a sick
world in need of healing!
What struck me instantly about the scripture passage today was this sentence...”He was able to do all this because God was with him.”
Even Jesus - the Great Healer and Physician - needed God’s power and
presence. If Jesus Christ needed God with Him in order to be well and
heal others, don’t you think we certainly need Him in our lives?
Let’s be honest...we can’t do this on our own or under our own power! The only way we even have a CHANCE
is to embrace God and ask Him to wield His power in our lives. Our
“healing” starts with a liberal dose of the anointing by God with the
Holy Spirit - who will dwell in our heart and guide our steps. Again,
if it was important for Jesus, it surely is vital for us!
Does
this guarantee that we will have “smooth sailing?” Is this an instant
“cure” for all that ails us? Yes...and NO! Think of it this way...if
you have allergies, you take an antihistamine to alleviate the symptoms.
This drug doesn’t remove your condition – but you are able to manage
it. If something causes you pain - like a splinter in your hand or a
broken toe - you determine the problem and take measures to address it.
Sometimes these ailments or injuries can be fully cured and alleviated.
At other times, we determine methods of coping with these challenges
and relieving some of the symptoms.
This is how it is with
God’s power and care. There are burdens and “ailments” that He will
remove from you completely. In other cases, He will show you how to cope
with your circumstances...and grow and learn from the experience. But
God will never leave you to flounder and struggle without any hope of
relief. He will never allow you to be completely beaten down by the
devil.
So think about what “ails” you today. Consider the
“sicknesses” of this world and how the devil attempts to beat us down
each and every day. Then turn to God and ask Him to fill you with the
Holy Spirit...to “inoculate” you against Satan’s attempts to capture you
and destroy your “health” – in every area of life. Trust God to know
the right “prescription” for you and your circumstances...and never,
ever let go of His power and presence! If Jesus needed God with
Him...surely we do, as well. Who is your “Great Physician”?
©2014 Debbie Robus
