Medicine For The Soul

Genesis 1:16
........He made the stars also......

I love this verse.
It always brings a smile to my face whenever I read it, or it comes to mind.
This incredible account of creation is punctuated by the words, "He made the stars also."
Like it was an after thought.
God was speaking and flinging cosmic matter all over the place.
Explosions!
Planets formed and set into motion all through the power of His words.
Yet, it was like God was leaving the room, when He suddenly had a thought, turned around and said, "Oh yeah.....stars!"
He made the stars also.
No big deal.
They're just stars.
"I can whip them up and out, no problem."

This is the same God who wants to have relationship with you and me.
This is the same God who wants to give us abundant life here and now, coupled with eternal life once our time here on planet earth is over.
This is the same God who sent His Son, Jesus, to settle the sin debt once and for all time.
Settle the debt so that we could be filled with His Holy Spirit, who would act as a communicator between us and Him.
God's Spirit would be the ultimate energizer Bunny (No disrespect, Father) that would empower us to be who we were created to be, and do what we have been called to do. 

News flash!
God did not create you or me to be an addict.
He never gave us life so that we could destroy every relationship we ever had.
Life was not given so that we could curse Him and turn our backs on Him.
You know, if I were God, I would probably be a little hacked at the way my creation related to me.
Truth be known, we're like little spoiled children whose parents are chasing them around trying to give them medicine that will make them better. Sick, spoiled children who are screaming, "Leave me alone! I'm not going to take that medicine and you can't make me!" The child perceives the parents intentions as being punishment. The parent knows that taking the medicine is in the child's best interest. God knows that if we reject Him, and His offer to real life, we will do more than simply die. By our rejection and our death, we have sealed our fate as to where we will spend eternity. The choice we made to reject Him comes with consequences.

More than once, I have heard others say, "I could never believe in a God that would send people to hell." Well, you know what? I couldn't either. How incredibly cruel and heartless would such a God have to be to do such a thing. People go to hell because they have chosen to. God, in His infinite love for us, has provided the means to change the direction we are headed in with our lives. Such is the Power and heart behind Step #3 of the the twelve steps.

Romans 10:9-10
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Through confession and repentance for my sins (the rejection of God and all the subsequent behaviors and actions I took listening to my own will) I can enter into a new way of living.
It isn't a magic trick where "Zimo/Zamo" all my troubles disappear, but it is a changed me that doesn't run away from my troubles or problems. Rather, I look to God to give me direction and guidance on how I should approach them. I know, I know, it all sounds like a fairy tale....maybe even something akin to the Twilight Zone. But because of what I have seen in my own life, I am latching onto this Jesus like it's nobodies business. Why? Because I've tried living life under my own direction and selfish mindset. It didn't turn out to good. 

Today, ponder the reality of God's desire and love for you.
Let it soak all down into your thoughts and heart.
I was that spoiled brat running away from that terrible, awful medicine that was suppose to heal me.
God was my loving Father who knew beyond my thoughts and desires what was best for me.

God on you...
mb