From The Crucible (by Pastor Linda Pugsley)

Having trouble obeying God? Today’s world has such a warped view of who God is. Some say there is no God; some think He’s a cruel and vindictive Judge up there, ready to squash you like a bug for the slightest indiscretion. And some think He’s a Providential Prude who doesn’t know how to chill out and have a good time.

Wrong, wrong and wrong! God is none of the above. He is a loving God, who is perfect in all ways. And even though what He created has rebelled against Him, He is still patient and willing to forgive and teach those who come back to Him. His rules aren’t “rules”, really—they are more the directions with which to live life better in wealth, health, power and freedom.

I am reminded of a brother-in-law. He had a back injury, had surgery and then rehab. He came home with a bunch of “rules” that his doctor gave him, which, if he followed, would lead to a quicker, stronger and more viable recovery. He didn’t consider them oppressive rules from some dictator, rather he saw them as a set of directions from an expert in the field that would eventually produce a more satisfactory result than if he just went home and did what he felt was best. My brother-in-law had a choice with his doctor (just as we do with God). He could consider the doctor the expert and follow the directions, not just because it was a law, but because it was for his own good and the betterment of his broken condition. Or he could (as we sometimes do) disregard them as foolish restrictions on his freedoms, against which he would rebel.

One of those “restrictions” on him was no golfing for an extended period of time, Yuk. The “rules” to recovery were tough, painful, costly and restrictive. But he faithfully followed them and now is totally restored and playing golf regularly.

I gleaned many spiritual lessons from that situation. It reminded me of God and us. We are born with a broken Adam nature and in order to be “healed” from that condition, we need to follow God’s directions. But just like my brother-in-law did not look at the doc’s “rules” as repressive and restrictive, but rather restorative, so should we have that viewpoint with the Lord.

What God tells us to do or not do are not arbitrary rules for the sake of rules. It’s sort of like what the doctor does for us on the physical plane; God does for us on the spiritual plane. It is not to stifle us, but to make us whole, well and strong. God’s “do list” and “don’t do list” are for our good, to bring us to the highest level of not only our spiritual well-being, but as a by-product, our physical well-being, also.

Go to Dr. Jesus…His clinic is open 24/7! Endure the fire…it’s producing pure gold!

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