Greetings again my Brethren. This month, and I think it is God’s most favorite, we will look at the object of sickness God can use to get our attention. Now, let’s stop here for a moment. One of the biggest misconceptions we have with God’s will for our life is everything that happens to us must be God’s will. After all He knows everything about us, true. After all He controls everything in the universe, well I am not so sure this is true. I am not so sure if God orchestrates everything in our lives down to the littlest details as some churches and denominations teach. Not that random chance runs our lives and God has little to nothing to say in events and circumstances that frame our lives, but I am saying sometimes bad things happen to good people that had nothing to do with God making it happen for our good or our bad. Oh, the people that say you must have sinned and God is punishing you, or maybe God is trying to teach you a lesson or get your attention through your car accident. Well, maybe so, but probably not. On the other end of the spectrum I have friends that tell me, God tells them everything. God tells them what clothing to wear, what shoes to buy to match their coat and pants I mean it goes on and on, well, I am not so sure God is really that concerned about our wardrobe as He is about our heart condition. Yes, God is involved with our lives, but mostly His involvement, in taking care of things, after the fact. He gives us a brain, good friends and Godly parents who have a heart for God, and more important He gives us His precious Holy Spirit to help us and guide us to righteous and Godly choices. I am not sure He needs to order our lives step by step every day of our lives, but when things go sideways or spin out of control by choices we have made or things out of our control, He is there to make sense of the chaos and confusion and then bring things back into to harmony with Him. Paul writes in Romans, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Paul says he or, “we know.” I wonder why he can say this? Well, his life was often out of control and over in chao, so he knew, “that all things work together for good” or in the Greek, God works all things together for our good, “for them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” So, if we love God and are doing what He wants us to do, “called according to His purpose” then He will work all things out, usually after the fact, for our good. We see God best in the rearview mirror or after the fact. But we must never ever forget the reason bad things can happen to good people and that is in all things God will be glorified. We were made not to do ministry, do miracles, preach, teach, but for one reason and that is to glorify God in all we do. Even in the bad things, if our attitudes are correct before God, He will see us through the pain and anguish of some of the harshest troubles in our lives. My brother John just lost his wife of 54 years three months ago and is, I will be honest, is struggling to make heads or tails of Sharon’s death, but what impresses me is his attitude. He is searching for answers that are only found deep in his heart, but he is not angry with God for taking his wife. Now, he does not totally understand why, like me or any man who losses their wife, but the answers to his questions will be found in his attitude before God and God shining His light in his heart. I am proud of my big brother. Getting back God often uses sickness. In Luke 4 we read a story where Jesus healed Peter’s wife’s mother. “And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. 39And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.” (Luke 4:38-39) Now did God give Peter’s mother-in-law a fever? Maybe Peter’s mother-in-law sinned and God was punishing her and the family. Or maybe God was trying to teach Peter’s wife’s mother a lesson? We do not know and we dare not assume any further than what we can read in the Bible. So, we will have to conclude maybe three reasons why Peter’s mother-in-law was healed from this story. One, Jesus wanted someone to minister to Him and the disciples, “and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.” Two, Jesus felt sorry for Peter and his family so He did a miracle. This answer is probably more accurate in keeping with Jesus’ love for people who were sick. In Matthew 4:24 we read, “And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.’ (Matthew 4:24) One and two could work, but without question the third answer, so that God could be glorified works the best. Any time a person is healed or a miracle happens, someone struggling with life’s issues is lifted as the answer comes make no mistake my friend God is glorified.
Next month we will continue to look at other diverse objects God can use to communicate with us as we look at the element of Ravens. Are you there my friend? In tough situations and circumstances? Have you heard His voice? Listen closely and you will. Written by David Stahl
