Tuesday, June 6, 2017
John 6:63 The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
PT FOR THE SOUL
Chances are if you have ever sprained an ankle, torn a tendon, had a joint replaced or suffered from back pain, you also had a course of PT (physical therapy). The exercise routines under the guidance of trained experts can work wonders. But a major key to success is keeping at it over a period of weeks or even months. If you go to the first appointment, but then neglect to follow through with the exercises the therapist prescribes, you probably won't see much improvement. If you use that as an excuse to cancel the next appointment and to give up on the exercises completely, you obviously won't progress. You might blame the PT and say, "It just didn't work for me," but that wouldn't be true.
How many people take the same view toward God's Word? "I went to church once, but it didn't do anything for me ... I read the Bible once when I was in trouble, but it didn't help ... I was confirmed, so I know what I need to know about God."
The Word is spiritual PT. God intends it to be an ongoing blessing. We need it continually, because sin is a constant presence in our lives and even within us. His Word is always effective. It is living and active. It cuts through all our excuses and exposes our sin. We can make ourselves look fairly good to others. We can keep thoughts to ourselves and hide things we don't want others to see. But God sees and knows it all. Every sin condemns us to eternal death. "'There is no peace,' says God 'for the wicked'" (Isaiah 57:21).
Dead in sin, we desperately need the new life only God can give through the message of Christ crucified. Jesus took on our guilt. He paid the penalty we deserved. He promises, "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life" (John 6:63). As Nathan told David after his confession of guilt, "The LORD has taken away your sin," so the Lord assures us of forgiveness and peace.
We might think that we can get by with one simple PT session. The reality may be that we need weeks of therapy, and will need to follow through with daily exercises on a permanent basis to prevent further problems.
Because we continually sin, daily repentance is vital to our spiritual health. Time in the Word at home and in the Lord’s house to receive again and again the assurance that Jesus’ blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness is essential in order for us to continue walking in the paths of the Lord with firm, steady steps. "Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come'" (Isaiah 35:3). The Lord promises it and He will do it--through His Word!
