I realized how I easily take things for granted. I never noticed how much the seemingly simple or little things in life meant a lotto me. I was down with malaria a few weeks ago and I missed a good night’s sleep for about 5 days in a row! Aside the lovely attention from family, friends and loved ones, it was a horrid five-day- experience!
Of course it was a very good learning opportunity for me. God used that circumstance to bring something in our relationship to my attention. I was on the malaria treatment course, which consisted of about 3 different medicines and a painkiller. I eventually needed antibiotics as well, because of a bacterial infection I developed along the way – ___-.
The realization hit me when one morning, my sister had to sit me down and supervise the morning doze of medicine. I was rushing out of the house, and thought she was wasting my time because I was getting late.
In hindsight, I am troublesome when it comes to medication, so the supervision was needed. But in the moment, sitting behind that tray of medicine (yes, a tray full of medicine) I wasn’t enthused about her resolve to have me take the medicine before I left home.
But it was in that moment of frustration that God brought to my attention that there has been the need to take medicine on a daily basis, (where ‘medicine’ would be His Word) but I had been too stubborn to pay attention to His prompting.
I was so embarrassed. I’ve struggled with putting time aside in my day to have quiet time with God and I knew that was what God was talking about. I immediately understood it because of how much understanding of life I get from the Word. Without doing my quiet time and personal Bible study, I feel empty. Usually, that’s how I know that my spirit is hungry for God’s Word.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path,” There’s not much to add I think the verse is very self-explanatory. But the Word of God is there to help us in our infirmities and to guide us through places or paths unknown, untrodden and even unseen.
Proverbs 3:5-8
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.”
God’s Word and His guidance brings health to our body and nourishment to our bones. It’s amazing how little we regard quality time with God (even the shortest of times). It only does good to us, anyway!
Aside guidance and healing, it serves growth on a silver platter. I hear people make contributions in fellowships and on Whatsapp platforms and I’m thinking, ‘WHERE did you GET that from?’
Surely, someone who’s been hiding himself in the word and leaning on God’s understanding on a daily basis will have more knowledge and wisdom than someone who sleeps throughout the fruitful hours of the morning.
No matter who we are or how wise we have gotten with age, we need our daily dose of medicine, we can’t afford to be stubborn with that or take it for granted. It’s seemingly a little but gives a lot.