Not A Good Medicine Taker

I'm not a good medicine taker.  Really, I'm not.  Don't get me wrong, if I have a headache, I'll be sure to find Tylenol or an ibuprofen, but outside of that - nope - not a good medicine taker.  I have to be knocking on death's door with a cold before I will take any of that liquid stuff.  Just thinking about it right now is giving me the I-dont-want-tos.

And that pink stuff - you all know what I'm talking about - that pink stuff for your tummy?  I would just soon die as swallow that girly looking liquid chalk....Eww - I can't really spell the sounds I am making as I describe this to you, just use your imagination, I'm sure it will be close.

I really have to psych myself up to swallow medicine.   I read the label a hundred times hoping I can find a smaller amount that I am actually required to swallow, then I resign myself to the fact that I am not going to find a different answer no matter how many times I read the label. 

I pour it into the little dose cup, being sure not to get even ONE DROP more than I have to, afterall I don't want to swallow ONE drop much less an extra. 

I fix me a glass of water - a big glass.

With water in one hand and medicine cup in the other, the battle begins.

My eyes go from the water to the drug.

Drug to the water.

I can do this.

I hate this.

I can do this.

I hate this.

It only lasts a second.

A second is a very long time.

Eventually I take the plunge, swallow the syrup, and guzzle the water. 

And then the that-was-so-gross-rigor surfaces and it's over.  Usually followed by my groaning something like "that was so gross".   I know - such an original phrase, but are you in my kitchen with me?

I don't like medicine.  It tastes bad.  It gives me the that-was-so-gross-rigors.

But it helps me. It heals me - from the inside out.

And if I am sick enough, I will face that giant and swallow it for help.

You know, truth is like medicine, sometimes it doesn't taste good, but it does a work from the inside out.

I'm the same way about hearing truth sometimes.  I know I need it, but I don't want it because it doesn't taste very good.

We don't want to hear it.  But we need to.

....Thy truth will continually preserve me.

Psalms 40:11



To be honest, sometimes truth doesn't settle well at first. If I let my flesh have control, truth can down right make me mad, but if I give it time to let the Spirit work, I begin to see a change in perspective. 

I'm sure the disciples felt the same way when Jesus said:

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

John 16:17

I'm sure the disciples didn't want to hear the truth that Jesus was telling them, but He told them anyway.  They didn't want Him to leave, and if we could have gotten a glimpse into the conversation that day, I think we would have found that what they were hearing was not settling well with them.  Their friend and master leaving them was not something they wanted to face.

We don't want to face truth either sometimes, but face it we must if we want to grow and heal from the inside out.  Truth preserves us, and by leaving, Jesus was sending the Spirit.  If you read further in John 16, He tells them that the Spirit would convict them and expose them to truth. 

Jesus was leaving and the Spirit of Truth came so He could heal us all from the inside out.  He's still healing us today. 

No, sometimes it doesn't taste good, but I know that it is for my best.

What truth is He revealing to you today?  Are you a good medicine taker?



 


Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

Stand Up

If you're visiting from Be The Domino Ministries, welcome to Beyond Sunday Morning.  Feel free to poke around a bit and see what we're all about. 

If you're one of my faithful readers, would you take a moment to visit Whitt Madden's site, Be The Domino?  He has compiled lots of information on excellent ministries on his site along with ways you can personally get involved in ministering to others.  There are also bible study opportunities - especially for the guys, so be sure to tell your hubbies about Be The Domino.

Now for today's post, for those of you who have been part of Beyond Sunday Morning for a long time, you might remember this post.  It fit so well with the subject Whitt wanted to address, that  I had to post it again.  Enjoy - let it sink in .....deep....

The subject of spiritual battle surfaces more often these days than we would like. In our christian circles, I'm sure we've all discussed the intense need we have for purposefully putting on our spiritual armor every day and being alert and ready for attacks from the enemy.

It seems everywhere I go, there are many of God's people who are weary and overwhelmed right now. It doesn't seem to matter if the individual is a new or seasoned believer, the story is the same......

I just don't know how much more I can take.....

Many times when I've heard this, I've seen eyes brimming with tears, and witness their spirits longing for some glimpse of hope. My hearts break along with all of theirs. Most of these spirits that are downcast, are weary for what they see happening or about to happen to those that they love.

With spiritual and physical despair in mind, it makes me think of something I read about Daniel a few weeks ago. If you would like to read it for yourself, you can find what I'm talking about in Daniel chapter 10. Daniel had been given a vision of future things that would happen to God's people, it was a vision of war and terrible hardship. The things he had been shown in this vision were so disturbing that Daniel mourned and did not eat for three weeks.

If your spirit is weary, I'm sure you can identify with what Daniel was feeling.

Daniel was standing on the banks of the Tigris River, he saw a messenger from God. Being an emotional wreck already, Daniel grew very weak and passed out at the mere sound of the voice of this one resembling a man. The messenger reaches down, touches him, and lifts him trembling to his hands and knees. And he said to Daniel -

"Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you." v11

Trembling, Daniel stands up to take heed of the messengers words.

My weary friends, I know your spirits are trembling, I know you feel weak, but listen to what I have to say to you --- You are very precious to God. Stand Up. Listen for God's message to you.

The messenger goes on to tell Daniel to not be afraid -

"Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael one of the archangels came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia...."v 12-14

How long had Daniel been in mourning, unable to eat?

Yes, 3 weeks.

How long had the messenger from God been detained by the enemy?

21 days or 3 weeks!.

That's one of those things that makes you go Hmm Hmm Hmm- you 90's kids will totally get what I mean!

Daniel mourned in his spirit for what would happen to his people - God's people - for 3 weeks and there was spiritual battle going on between the enemy and God's messenger for 21 days. I think it no coincidence that these numbers are the same and I think it no coincidence that the messenger was sure to tell Daniel that since the FIRST day he began to pray, his requests had been heard in Heaven - hence, the battle.

War-torn family, your requests are being heard since the first day you began to pray about this and there is battle taking place for you.

Daniel stands speechless, looks down to the ground, then the messenger touched his lips as if to release the words in Daniel's heart....Daniel pours out these sentences, I'm sure you can identify -

"I am filled with anguish because of the vision I have seen, my lord, and I am very weak. How can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe." v16

I know some of you feel like you can hardly breathe under the weight of your struggles. The messenger reminds him again

"Don't be afraid," he said. "For you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!" v18

Then Daniel says -

As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, "Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me." v19

Ok, follow me for just a minute. We know all of the different things Jesus is to us as I AM. One of the characteristics of Jesus is strength. He IS strength. He is the I AM; therefore, whatever our need is, HE IS. He is strength. He is courage.

And if He is living in you, if He has touched you like the messenger touched Daniel causing him to feel his strength return, you can BE strong. You can BE encouraged. You can have peace. This was but a messenger of god who was able to do this, you have THE GOD living in you, imagine the possibilities.

Whether you are a "Daniel" or a "Danielle", stand up!

For you are very precious to God.

Take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore.....
Eph 6:13-14

Stand up.

Just stand.

God has a message for you.

Even in the midst of this battle.


Royal Princess Daughter Of The King

Outside Eden

And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden;

and there He placed the man whom He had formed.

Genesis 2:8

God made us, the creation of His own image, first.  Then made a special place to put His created image, a place called Eden.  Eden, its very name means pleasure.  He made a beautiful place of pleasure for man to live.

It must have been indescribable, He had already created Earth, which is itself a masterpiece, but then He took extra care to take creation a little further and formed a garden who's very name meant pleasure - for man. 

Can you imagine what Eden must have been like?  As I close my eyes, I can hear the birds in full anthem, the soothing sound of waterfalls, a gentle breeze waltzing with the leaves, and I can feel the warmth of the sun at perfect temperature on my back.  Thinking upon a place of such perfection gives me goosebumps.

But there is something else that gives me bigger goosebumps -

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day...

Genesis 3:8

As if a garden full of perfect pleasure weren't enough, even God, our Creator, was there.  He walked around to visit with them.

Oh, my.  The thought chills my skin.

God made man.

God made this place.

And He went there to be with man.

To talk to man.

To enjoy man.

A place of pleasure it was, free from the stain of sin for a brief time.  Then things changed.  We all know the story and it's sad ending.  The sad ending which we are still living out. 

Outside of Eden.

Outside of the perfect place of pleasure He designed for us to dwell in.

My friends, this life is hard, I know.   I know many of you are hurting and there are lots of things that we face and things that happen that don't make sense, leaving you heart asking that very hard question - "Why?".  Can I ask you to consider this? - 

We weren't intended to live here.

We were intended to live in Eden, walking with Him in the garden.

Oh yes, there's the explanation that bad things happen because we live in a fallen world, and that is very true, but sometimes it comforts me to know that He didn't intend for me to live here, He intended for me to live there, in the place of pleasure, but man - (or shall I say woman!) chose otherwise for me.  God didn't chose for me to reside here.  He wanted me to reside there.  Dorothy, we're not in Kansas anymore!

Why is a hard question, and I can't begin to know all the answers, but I do know that He can be trusted and so can His word, which says this:

There are secret things that belong to the Lord our God.......

Deuteronomy 29:29

I don't explain why I do everything I do to my girls when they ask, and believe me - They ask! Some things are just to big for them to carry. Could it be that there are just some things our Abba Daddy doesn't feel that He wants us to carry right now?  Some things are His secret, and it's for our best.

WE HAVE TO TRUST THAT HE IS COMPLETELY GOOD.  Living in the culture in which we do, it is very difficult to think without a smidge of skepticism since we have never seen anyone who is completely good.  That is where faith comes in. We would only have experienced completely good in Eden when He came to visit with us in the cool of the day.  The only way I can be settled knowing He has secrets that I don't know, not understanding the why, is if I trust that He is completely good. If I trust that He is 100% out for my 100% best, then I can settle in on the thought that it's ok for Him to have a secret or two. 

He will let us in on it all in the end (Matthew 10:26, Luke 8:17).

We are all traveling this foreign road outside of Eden together, so if you see someone struggling with why, walk along side them and remind them of what Eden would have been like. 

How can I pray for you today?

Royal Princess Daughter Of The King