June 26, 2007: Ya Gotta Take The Medicine Daily!

I delight to do your will, O my God
Psalm 40:8a

I was talking to a friend of mine who had been suffering from back pain. Her doctor examined her and found she had pulled a muscle and he prescribed some simple exercises to relieve the problem. I asked her how she was feeling and she told me she still hurt. In response to my puzzled look, she explained that she didn’t like the exercises and only did them when the pain became completely unbearable.

I believe it was G. Campbell Morgan who once said he could fill the church by announcing that he planned to preach on “Finding God’s Will”, but that it would be empty the following Sunday if he announced his topic to be “Doing God’s Will”.

Why is that? Could it be that too often we are like my friend who only followed the doctor’s advice when the pain became unbearable? I’m sure the Psalmist had his share of troubles, but he “delighted” to do God’s will.

When we take delight in something we make the time to do it, in fact many times we will go out of our way to do it (ever drive out of your way for your favorite ice cream or shake?). You see, when we find delight in doing something it isn’t a duty or a drudgery but something we look forward to! I delight to do your will, O my God

Heavenly Father, Deliver us from our proneness to only follow your prescription when the pain of daily living becomes too unbearable. Help us understand that it is only as we live according to your teachings that the peace we have becomes one that passes all understanding, that the joy we have for living becomes a constant fountain bubbling up within us--even in the desert times, and that our belief becomes confidence. In Jesus Name, AMEN