God wants life and health for us
Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Bern Leckie:
What did I like about today’s passage?
It's clear that God values life and health and provides these for his people. In recognition, God would be honoured with sacrifice for every new life, lambs which foreshadow Jesus, the life God would offer for us.
I like the mixture of practicality and spirituality in the health laws. Some of the health advice looks a bit odd to me, although much looks like common sense with our understanding of germs.
What I love is the spiritual dimension God adds along with his promise of cleansing for those who believe. God requires his people to recognise the reality of sin in their lives and make meaningful offerings for their "atonement" restoration to good relationship with God. A person's ability to afford an offering would be taken into account - God is more interested in us than our stuff - and as a result God could promise health and life to his people which medicine alone could not provide.
What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
God loves us and wants us to have good lives in relationship with him.
What am I going to do differently as a result?
As God wants to deal with sin and disease at the same time, it might be implied from the passage that people's sin caused the disease. I don't think this passage says that outright, however - it's more that God wants to deal with our whole selves, not just the disease we think needs fixing. Next time I'm ill, I want to use the opportunity to bring my whole self to God. I won't blame my cold on sin, but I will use the illness as a reminder that my body needs attention, and remember as I get better that God made me for wellness and health in good relationship with him.
Who am I going to share this with?
Put the right way, it could be an interesting chat with a doctor! I totally respect that part of God's provision to heal us is through the applied skill of doctors. I realise not every doctor shares this view, so I'll have to consider how to share appropriately.