Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
As many of my readers know, back in 2014 I had a stroke caused by a blood clot that had made its way to my brain. The overall diagnosis was Atrial Fibrillation and my heart was now missing a beat, which resulted in a blood clot forming in the millisecond of a missed heartbeat, and caused the damage it did. I was responsible for this heart disease because of the poor way I had treated my health: my eating habits were terrible, and the lack of exercise did not help the situation. After ten years of choosing a healthy regime of eating real food, and steady regular exercises and workouts I have been rewarded with a new diagnosis. It seems that my heart still misses a beat but somehow it has found a good rhythm within the miss-rhythm. The cardiologists are a bit stumped but are sure it is because of the health choices I have made. I also believe it is the Goodness of God who is healing me.
First of all, I do give God all the glory for giving me the desire, grit, and bull-dog tenacity to stay committed to my health program over the last ten years. God’s Word is true when we apply it to our hearts. Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. The wisdom I have picked up along the way is that my freedom in health has come through my discipline of staying with the program. Were there days I did not want to get up and go work out? Yes, there were days like that, but ‘by the grace of God’ I was able to kickstart myself and do the work that was needed.
If we think about the diagnosis of my heartbeat, there is a similarity in our life as a Christian. We live in a world that is out of rhythm, and we need to find a loving heart rhythm within the world’s miss-rhythm of corruption and sin. In effect, we need to find our heartbeat that God regulates and use it to live in a world that has lost not only its heart for truth but also its love for God and all that He has done for humanity. Jer. 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? We are as the scripture says – living in the world but not of the world, and our hearts beat to a Holy Spirit-led life.
The madman of Gadera was possessed by a legion of devils and his soul, heart, and body were so internally wrecked that he tried to hurt himself to release the madness within his mind and rip away the pain in his soul. Mark 5:5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. Cutting himself was the only relief he could find because the miss-rhythm of his life was an experience of pure evil. He needed to find the answer to getting rid of all the suffering he was going through and also find a way out of the filth of demonic activity. Like a thunderclap of revelation, he saw Jesus coming ashore and ran to Him and worshiped the Lord. Mark 5:6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. The very nature and presence of Jesus will activate a change in the atmosphere of darkness. Christ is the light of the world and light conquers darkness every time.
Change and healing began to take place in the madman who once had no hope of ever having a semblance of normality. A complete healing and restoration of the mind and his will was back in the hands of the man who was once possessed. The transformation was so wonderful that the man of Gadera wanted to go with Jesus. Mark 5:18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus then tells him to return to his home and family and share the great things the Lord has done for him. Mark 5:19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” In effect, Jesus was saying to start living within the rhythm of God’s grace and be a blessing wherever he goes.
The events of the madman can be seen as a representation of what is happening in this world. People throughout the world have gone mad and are being tormented by so many things that are out of their control. God created a beautiful planet, but Satan is bringing sin, ugliness, and madness to the citizens of this world. Jesus came so that we would have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 The thief comes only that he might steal and might kill and might destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. A legion of devils could not stop the madman from coming to Jesus and worshiping Him. This same Jesus is here today and ready to destroy the madness people find themselves wrestling with. The voice of the Lord will guide us if we are listening. Isa. 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” The Lord wants us to find the rhythm of God’s grace that gives us life and the ability to destroy the works of the enemy.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God. However, we need to stay within the presence of our God and find the rhythm that the Lord has set for us within the miss-rhythm in this world. Rom. 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Hi Norm,
I have a theory.
When Christ was born, he was not born in sin. He was perfect.
Adam was created sinless and perfect in God’s image but at a later date succumbed to original sin and all mankind followed suit.
Scientists tell us that modern humans use about 10 % of their brain capacity, and I’m not sure if they include themselves.
But assuming that this is in fact the case then…my theory is that sin corruption has caused us to lose our ability to think straight, walk straight, do straight, in fact do anything straight.
Christ Jesus as sinless man was operating on full 100 % intellectual, spiritual, emotional, social, political power etc. That includes every aspect of being fully man and fully God at the same time.
He was constantly talking the Father. He only did what he saw the Father doing. He only said what the Father said. He was obedient unto death.
Dying to self is hard work.
When I get out of sync with God, well it ain’t pretty and it’s the old Helen trying to resurrect herself every time.
The old Helen has about 10% brain capacity and that’s why I need a perfect Saviour who never sinned in word, thought or deed.
And thus ends my theory.
I really like your thoughts on this Helen. Thank you for sharing.
I find it hard to keep a rhythm in life. My strength is to relish change, love adventure and shirk the rhythms that others have. Ha! That also encompasses most of my weaknesses and leaves me without some of the things I would like to achieve, by the grace of God.
Nurturing relationships requires discipline and a good rhythm certainly helps. The most important relationship in my life is with Jesus. This blog, coming every week, is part of my rhythm. I also have a routine of saying the Lord’s Prayer every time I drive down my road leading to the highway on the edge of Okanagan Lake. I began to do that when I moved to my home up on the mountainside here in Peachland so I’d never get complacent in giving thanks for God’s beautiful creation. Now I understand, that routine is an important part of my rhythm. Cool. Thanks Norm!
Thank you, Clayton, for sharing your good thoughts. Yes, we should never get tired of giving thanks to God for all He has done for us.