For Sunday: September 28th
Dear friends,
Reading Scripture is necessary for spiritual health just as food is for the body. Without daily nourishment from the Word we become spiritually weak and are unable to resist the impulses of our sin nature which calls us to selfish living and harsh judgments on others. This week I want us to read about healing for physical and mental ailments. James 5:13-15 gives us a sane and sober procedure to follow when we are happy, troubled or sick.
It is good to give thanks unto the Lord and acknowledge His blessing and mercy. Psalm 30, for example, You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! When things are going well spiritually we can easily voice thanksgiving to the Lord for His mercy and bounty. Psalm 106 is another great thanksgiving Psalm.
If we are troubled by painful emotions, regrets, and spiritual struggles James reminds us to petition the Lord with thanksgiving and Peter says to cast all our care upon Him because He cares for us. Think over Psalm 32 to see David’s joy over forgiven sin. We do not fight against flesh and blood , but spiritual powers in the heavens (Ephesians 6) These unseen enemies are powerful and deceptive and only the light from Scripture can, through faith, stop their attacks.
God heals as He wills for His glory. James gives us the procedure to follow if we are seriously ill. At the church we have seen His grace work in remarkable ways. Sometimes though the Lord chooses to act contrary to our requests. This makes for difficulty and things hard to understand as we can see in Acts 12:1-4. Why is James killed and Peter rescued by angels? We see a tiny part of reality and truth and so it is not wise to judge God based on our life alone. Job dealt with this question: Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Please pray with and for me that the Lord would give us a humble heart to hear His Word, understand it, and put it into practice.
See you Sunday,
Lee