First you had trouble sleeping, waking up all hours of the night. Then came the backaches and headaches. The week after that, your chest felt like an elephant was sitting on top of it. Then came the sneezing and coughing, the sore throat, and the fever that wouldn’t go away even with medicine. You can’t take it anymore and go see the doctor. Within an hour he tells you, “Just what I suspected – you have the flu!” You’re worried because of what you been hearing in the news. So many being hospitalized and some not overcoming it, but the doctor reassures you that with taking the antibiotics for a few days and proper rest, you’ll be just fine.
You think to yourself, “aren’t doctor’s wonderful.” Isn’t it funny how easily we dole out such a sentiment, but when it comes to our Heavenly Father, we doubt His goodness sometimes? We’ve got to do better, because He’s a great big wonderful God!
Life is full of ups and downs, and the downs can be pretty heavy, but God is always willing and able to help us. If we look at God’s people in the Old Testament, we see very clearly that they violated God’s laws repeatedly. He wanted them to be obedient so He could continue to bless them and keep them in His safety and care. He commanded them not to worship idol Gods, but did they listen? Judges 2:11-13(NLT) tells us, “11 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal. 12 They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord. 13 They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth.”
Just as He had done many times before, God forgave His people for sinning against His Word. He raised up leaders and judges that would help them stay on the right path. Judges2:18(NLT) says, “Whenever the Lord raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge’s lifetime. For the Lord took pity on his people, who were burdened by oppression and suffering.”
It is so important for us to have a deep well of gratitude for how patient Heavenly Father is with us. Some of us need spiritual medicine in a bad way. Our souls are malnourished because we haven’t been feeding them a steady and nutritious diet of the Word. Many of us have the worldly disease of sinful thoughts and disobedience, but God has the cure. He’s able to tell us exactly what behaviors and attitudes we need to change in order to feel better about ourselves. He sees the way we speak to others, the inner thoughts and dialogue we have with ourselves, and with precision, His Spirit can administer the perfect prescription.
This kind of soul surgery is right up God’s alley, but here’s the big thing, we must not wait until it’s too late to receive His medicine. We need His attention right away. James 1:12-15(NLT) tells us, “12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” This passage tells us that if we continue to allow it to grow, sin will spread and infect other areas of our lives. Let’s not do that. We have a great big wonderful God that is willing and able to help us. He never gives up on us, and by letting Him do a work in our hearts, we won’t give up on ourselves.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Our Great Big Wonderful God!” written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2020. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.