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Gleanings From The Word

Category: Grace

  • The True Miracle Cure – The Gospel

    The True Miracle Cure – The Gospel

    An AI-generated photo-realistic image of a patent medicine bottle, "Uncle John's Miracle Cure."

    I’ve been down with a bit of a bug since late last week. Mot enough to be really sick, just enough to feel tired, miserable, and sorry for myself. I’ve mostly isolated myself to keep from sharing it with others. I’m sure it will run its course in a few days. In the meantime, I’ll stay housebound. Now, the funny thing about being under the weather is that immediately, well-intentioned and compassionate people have the cure.  We all know that one miracle cure.

    Use these essential oils. Take this herb. Smoke this wildflower. Try the newest wonder drug. Kiss a toad whose mother was conceived under an oak tree during a full moon. Some of these wonder cures may even work, in some circumstances, for some people., and I always appreciate the caring behind the suggestion.

    I’m reminded of the words of Charles Dudley Warner from “My Summer in a Garden.” “This soothing syrup is said to contain no opium or anything that could possibly injure the tenderest infant. It is recommended for children of all ages. It is sure death to worms. It allays irritation, assists digestion, and cures wind colic. It regulates the function and promotes natural, healthy sleep. It is pleasant to take and is perfectly harmless. It is good for everything, and it does nothing, – and is good for that too.”

    Sometimes we treat Jesus as the miracle cure all. Yes, all things are possible with Christ and prayer, but that doesn’t mean we always get what we want, when we want it.  Sometimes His plan includes some suffering, persecution, and trials. Please note I don’t consider the bug to be either suffering or a true trial, even if it’s inconvenient.

    To paraphrase an old thought, God is not committed to your immediate comfort, but to your eternal conformity to Christ — and that conformity is your truest happiness. It isn’t that He doesn’t want us to be “happy” or “healthy,” it’s just that His benchmarks are much higher than ours. He can and does heal. He can alleviate every form of suffering. Sometimes that’s not what is best for us.

    What is it that God desires? We are set apart for Christ, to become like Him.

    “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29

    “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

    He wants us to be like Jesus. What an incredible thought. We will never be God but we can be Jesus-like in mind, heart, and character. Now that makes me happy despite feeling sorry for myself over this bug. He is our literal miracle cure.

    Hold fast, my dear friends. Everything you are going through has a purpose and God will complete His work in you.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    Stormy Seas – Calming the storm
    The Gospel – the best news you will ever hear
    The True Miracle Cure – The Gospel
    A long but vitally important list
  • Surprise Encounter – God’s Whispers

    Surprise Encounter – God’s Whispers

    The afternoon was shifting towards evening, one fall afternoon, as I took a shortcut through the woods on the way home and had a surprise encounter. That sounds like the beginning of a classic fairy tale, but it isn’t. I rounded a bend in the trail and came face to face with a large, healthy-looking male coyote. Not the one in the image; this was long before cell phones were invented. I was in my mid-teens.

    I’m not sure which of us was the most surprised. We stood, perhaps 10 feet apart, looking directly at one another, each with a stunned expression on our faces. I’m sure we were both thinking, “Oops. What now?’

    Before I could move, he turned and took off through the brush at a dead run. I stood there still trying to get my head around the encounter. The whole thing lasted perhaps a few seconds, but it felt like we had faced each other for a long time. I felt thoroughly blessed.

    Sometimes, God works in our lives to give us a chance to see the beauty of His love. We can miss them easily if we are not looking.

    Recently, I was chatting with a young couple at our local assembly. Their toddler came up, and when I said hello, she told me, “My tummy is empty.” While we chatted about that and possible remedies, an elementary school student I had just been chatting with interjected and told her there were some snacks in the kids’ ministry area.

    The parents politely thanked her and declined as they were about to head home for lunch. The toddler again rubbed her tummy and reminded us it was empty. The elementary school student then asked for permission and then shared the small bag of snacks she was munching on.

    A few seconds of interaction, but the beauty of the one child attempting to compassionately meet the needs of the other, even sharing her own snack, was a moment of pure and simple love, a moment of seeing God in action.

    People complain that the world is ugly, and they never see God’s hands at work. It’s true we live in a fallen, sin-filled world that can be ugly indeed. The total depravity of humankind and the results of it all stare us in the face.

    Yet. If we look around, He is there in billions of small ways, choosing to speak in whispers. He spoke to Elijah in a still small voice.

    There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:9-13

    Why whispers? I can only speculate it’s because when he shows up and does the big things, we want more of the show, and not more Jesus. When he fed the crowds by the sea, most of them wanted more free meals, not their savior. When God fed the wandering Israelites in the desert, they wanted a broader menu. And so, it goes.

    Or maybe because when someone whispers, we lean in closer to hear. That act creates an intimacy of sorts. When we lean into God to hear His voice we are being drawn closer.

    God is speaking, and in the seemingly surprise encounters, we get a glimpse of how good He is and the way He is working in people’s lives. He whispers to us as well in His word as we read, illuminating Scriptures in new ways for us.

    Keep those eyes and ears open, my friends. He is whispering to you.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    Check out these posts

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    That Still Small Voice – Hearing God