Friday: Further Thought – “Get Up and Walk!” Faith and Healing
The Germans have a saying, “Einmal ist keinmal.” It means, literally, “One time is no time.” It’s an idiomatic expression for the idea that if something happens only once, then it doesn’t count. It doesn’t matter. If it happens only once, it might as well never have happened at all.
Image © Jeff Preston from GoodSalt.com
Whether you agree or not, think about this idea in context of Thursday’s study, when Jesus said to the man who wanted first to bury his father and then to be a disciple: “‘Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead’” (Matt. 8:22, NKJV). What did Jesus mean by implying that the man, a living man, was dead? Well, if “Einmal ist keinmal,” if “one time is no time,” then to live upon this earth only once, with no eternity to follow, then you might as well have never been born at all. You might as well be dead now(see John 3:18). Secular thinkers, who believe in no afterlife, have groused over the meaningless of a life that exists here only once, and for quite a short time, too, before dissipating for eternity. What can it possibly mean, they have asked, if after this short stint we are forever gone and forever forgotten? No wonder, then, that Jesus said what He did. He was seeking to point the man to a reality greater than what this world, in and of itself, offered.
Discussion Questions:
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If we have faith in God as He is revealed through His word, then our minds will always be dwelling on the eternal reality that He is, and that He promises to the faithful. Our every thought, word and action will be affected by this eternal reality as we observe in many of the Bible accounts of God's faithful servants.
1. When it comes to living daily for eternity, theology has little effect if we don't exercise faith. Many, even with “correct” theology, may miss the big picture in their daily lives.
2. If we pray; “Thy will be done” and commit our way unto the Lord while acknowledging Him in all our ways, “He will bring it(His will) to pass”. (Ps 37:5, Prov 3:6)
3. Sometimes the list of most important things for Christians is barely different from the list of atheists. Our daily lives tell the true story don't they? Our pantries, garages, book shelves, “toy box”, leisure time, daily habits, etc, all reveal our personal view of what is important, or should we say “who” is important.
Priorities? My first priority should be maintaining a healthy relationship with God. But just this week, i missed two personal morning devotions, in the rush to be on time for the school bus snd work. So as i think priorities- i cant say 'God' with a clear conscience this week. Therefore, a good relationship with God is my ideal no 1 priority, not yet an actual priority. I pray that God may enable me to live up to this ideal priority. So its not only atheists who get their priorities mixed up. I am also an Adventist weakling who is daily in need of God s saving grace.
Romans 7;22 'For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!'
The German idiom referred to by the lesson author, may just have some merit, if you look at it from the point of view of living this mortal life(just once),but dying without Christ forever. It really doesn't make sense to have been born if we are not planning and living toward obtaining God's free offer of eternal life with Jesus in the earth made new. Even if we die at the end of this life, we can live again, (two times) when Christ returns the "second time" - consummating the purpose for His coming the first time. "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first"(1 Thes. 4:16).
The apostle Paul puts things into proper perspective here:"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable" (1 Cor. 15:19). We have hope for a bright future life; an abundant, wonderful life in Jesus but we must not take our eyes off the promise and the prize. We do not follow Jesus just for the prize, but it should remind us that whatever we may sacrifice for His sake cannot compare to the glories that God has laid up for us. Remember He gave up all the riches of heaven for our poverty, died the death that we deserved, so that we might have the life and the riches that He deserved.
So as we review our priority list, we may need to make adjustments as we study and review Jesus' priority list for us in the light of eternity. The spiritually DEAD are unable to respond to the call to the living. They continue to deal with the matters of the dead, until they are quickened by God's Spirit and made alive, receiving forgiveness of their sins. We, who were once dead in sins and have been made alive again by the life-giving Spirit of the Living God, have received the call from God to be His hands and feet to help in the rescue mission for the "dead" all around us. How will we answer?
Jesus calls us over the tumult
Of our life’s wild, restless, sea;
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth,
Saying, “Christian, follow Me!”
As of old Saint Andrew heard it
By the Galilean lake,
Turned from home and toil and kindred,
Leaving all for Jesus’ sake.
Jesus calls us from the worship
Of the vain world’s golden store,
From each idol that would keep us,
Saying, “Christian, love Me more!”
In our joys and in our sorrows,
Days of toil and hours of ease,
Still He calls, in cares and pleasures,
“Christian, love Me more than these!”
Jesus calls us! By Thy mercies,
Savior may we hear Thy call,
Give our hearts to Thine obedience,
Serve and love Thee best of all.
I have heard and still hear, if you meet all or at least most of the requirements,though they may be somewhat exaggerated, you will go to Heaven. As exaggerated and informal as that may be, There are some that believe in their minds and hearts, the promises of God and the text given in John10:10, are those who believe, that is this present life as well our eternal Home. As Jesus said in Matt 7:11 God the Father is a giver of good gifts. James 1:17