Health Care is not the Issue

“Healthcare is not the issue” was a statement made in Bible Study this morning. The point being, everyone is ranting and raving over whatever decision was being made at the nation’s capital, was a red herring. When you sit back and look at it, you can see our point.

Even the people who are crying out, “We are a Christian nation! It’s time to take it back!” might be missing the point. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to live in the “land of the free and the home of the brave”. Like others, I’m not sure how much longer that’s going to last. Nothing lasts forever.

Nothing that is, except eternal life. The thing is… our fault-finding and blame game is lateral at best. Is no one looking at the root cause of our problem? The root cause in Syria’s problem? Nazi Germany back years ago? No–believe it or not, “too much government” isn’t the root cause of the problem.

The problem is, we’re spiritually dead and in need of life. Not “bad government and need the Ten Commandments”. Not even, “Put God back in schools”. Of course, tell people that and they’ll roll their eyes, look at you as if you were some one from Mars, and go on their merry way, trying to solve humanity’s problem in a humane way. Folks, sorry, but it can’t be done. The root problem is death. Spiritual death that each of us are born in, and remain in, until we come to Jesus by faith.

We were talking this morning–wouldn’t it be great if the entire world lived in a spirit of community like some of the Amish do? Mennonites or Quakers? Work together, have barn-raisings and just generally be a people of “Good works”. Well, that won’t happen, not on a n earthly level. Sure, you do have some philanthropists that will donate time and money to a worthy cause. But look at humanity as a rule. Why do some people work long hard hours? Some do, to merely put food on the tables, and some, in order to buy more toys. Some do in order to feel accomplished; some work long times to stay busy, drowning out other social problems. Why do we do anything? Usually one of the above or combination of several.

What if…. what if we all trusted God enough with our well-being, we reached out and helped our neighbor with no fear? What if the boss man trusted God enough to let the employees spend time with their families? What if the families trusted God enough to love them, that they could freely love their family, without fear of rejection, because God’s love was enough? What if children at school trusted God enough with their well-being that they had no need to bully one another? No need to steal from classmates who have more than they do? What if?

What if…the carpenter trusted God so much, he built houses and buildings for free? What if doctors trusted God so much, that they would treat people for free? What if we lived in a land where there was no need for currency, because people just generally helped one another? What if we trusted God so much that we didn’t have to live in fear of being hurt, either physical or mentally, by theirs? What if we lived in a land where there was no need for currency, because people just generally helped one another?

Right now, in this earthly plane, we don’t and won’t. However, there is coming a day when there will be a new heaven and new Jerusalem, and a new Earth.

While we can’t make any country perfect, for the simple reason that it’s run by humanity, we can start small.

1. Trust God

2. Help others.

3. Trust God some more.

4. Help others some more.

God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him, might be saved.

Would you like to meet this Jesus who loves you regardless of what sort of person you are? Have you come to the realization that no matter how many ‘good deeds’ you do, it’ll never be enough to create a perfect world?

Would you like to be able to trust God so much, that you can weather whatever hurt and however long the trial lasts, that you’re going through at the moment?

Have a talk with Jesus. Don’t do all of the talking, though. Do some listening as well.

I’ve had this song running through my mind this week:

However, when I think of how peaceful, calm and comforting to trust in God’s love and mercy, I can have this playing through my mind instead:

The Prodigal Son….

This morning in our Bible Studies, we reviewed the Prodigal son parable. (Luke 15) I suppose most of us know it, but this morning we took a look at the story from the Father’s perspective. Well, we started out that way, anyway.

We know that the son had rehearsed his speech that he would tell Dad upon coming home. Let’s face it, even the servants lived better than the son did! Not because the son didn’t have every opportunity afforded him, but… well, that’s another story.

As the son got close to home, the Father saw him and ran to meet him. Didn’t wait for the son to drag up to the thresh hold and then berate him for the stupid decisions. In fact, from the story, it looks as if the dad never said anything about the stupid decisions. He was just so grateful and full of love to have his youngest son home, he hugged and kissed him. Here are some things that the dad didn’t do:

1. He didn’t berate the youngest son for his stupid life choices.
2. He didn’t acknowledge the “repentance speech” the son had prepared.
3. He didn’t make the son pay for his sins.
4. He didn’t disown the son.
5. He didn’t hide his face in shame for having such a son.
6. He never turned his back on the son.

Throughout the whole ordeal, the son’s identity was never changed. He was born the man’s son, and he remained the man’s son. Nothing the son ever did made the Father love him less. The Father loved him because of who the Father was, not because of who the son was.

So, if you see yourself as a prodigal son, and think that perhaps God’s going to get you when/if you finally do decide to live life His way instead of your way, no need to worry. Those “big sins” you did, or are doing? God’s already not holding those against you, because Jesus took those “Big sins” that you did or are doing upon Himself. That sacrifice was sufficient in turning God’s wrath aside. He’s now awaiting your arrival. He’s not wanting you to beg for forgiveness. He’s not wanting you to pay for your sins. He’s not wanting you to try to earn His love. He simply wants you, because He loves you, in spite of you.

Speaking of that “earning God’s love thing”, we also visited the attitude of the oldest son for a few minutes. You remember him, don’t you? The one who was kind of miffed because here he was, the “good son” always did everything his dad asked him, behaved, worked diligently, and yet, Dad never even offered up a goat for the son to celebrate with his friends. Ahhhh…. here we have someone who is already a son, trying to “earn” Dad’s approval.

Can I admit that I have been in those shoes a time or two myself? Here I am, “busy for the cause of Christ”, yet, I didn’t feel like I got any ‘special recognition” for my effort. I never received even a goat to celebrate with my friends. Oh yeah, I pouted. But, like the dad pointed out in the story, he reminded the oldest son that everything he (the dad) had, the son had free access to! So it is with us. We are joint heirs with Jesus, and heirs to God’s riches. So, what exactly do we have access to?

1. God’s love
2. God’s mercy
3. God’s compassion
4. God’s patience
5. God’s kindness…

Well, you get the idea. We can’t ‘earn’ any of the riches of God, because without faith, it’s impossible to please God. What’s faith do? Call things that are not, as though they are. No matter how many good deeds we do, there is nothing we can do to make God love us ‘more’. We simply relax and rejoice in Whose child we are!

The father in this parable had equal love for both of his sons: The one trying to earn his love, and the one that went and squandered his inheritance.  We, too, are loved equally by God. I’d like to try to remember, that, instead of poor mouthing when I don’t get recognition for something, I can relax knowing that I am completely secure and loved by our Heavenly Father. When I realize that, then I can turn my efforts towards helping the “prodigal sons” of God’s family to also remember that no matter their choices, they have always been and always will be, loved by God.

Enjoy God’s love.

Consider The Sparrows

Tonight was a much needed reminder. With the onset of another year, and some of the ludicrous decisions our politicians are making, it’s easy to understand why and how the average person becomes anxious.

A lot of our discussion came from Matthew. Now, I know we’re under the New Covenant, and in Matthew, the New Covenant doesn’t start until the end, but the words Jesus spoke described the character of God, so it applies.

I loved the one about the birds of the air and lilies of the field:

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26 NIV84)

One of the things mentioned was that too many people viewed this as permission to be lazy. Just like the birds, who don’t hold down jobs, but are still fed by the master, so shall it be for us. Daddy shared a thought that too many people seem to put more emphasis on “feed me” and “clothe me”, when the entire context was to not worry.

How true. Seems as though there really is nothing new under the sun. Back in the days of the prophets, apparently folks would get anxious about their lives as well. We don’t have the corner market on bad politics. Bad politics existed long before we were ever a country. People had concerns of sickness and starvation back then.

G shared a verse in Philippians with us that’s always brought comfort to me:

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Compare that to the old days where we had to guard our own hearts:

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23 NIV84)

Yeah, personally, God does a lot better job with my heart than I do. I’ve tried to guard it before, but I just wound up building a wall around it. Awful cold and dark. When I remember that God has surrounded my heart in the protection of His love, it truly does bring me peace. He loves me. In spite of my excess baggage, doubts and anxieties.

I have a feeling I’m not alone in these anxieties, am I? Any of you know relate to being worried when you see all of those anti-government signs? Any of you worried when you hear of bad decisions being made in the higher ups? Is your mind picturing your country going through a ‘Fall of Rome” type deal?

Lets face it, bad politics have existed through every generation of every culture. Hunger, sickness and crime has also existed. It was out of sheer love for us, humanity, that the Holy Spirit impressed upon the writers of old to remind us not to worry, God’s got this.

So what’s the bottom line? The verse from Proverbs sums it up nicely:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5, 6 NIV84)