Morning Devotional

July 28, 2005
"Preventive Measures" (Part 1)     
    by Don Emmitte

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"Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus ordered. So all of them--the men alone numbered five thousand--sat down on the grassy slopes. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and passed them out to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate until they were full. "Now gather the leftovers," Jesus told his disciples, "so that nothing is wasted." There were only five barley loaves to start with, but twelve baskets were filled with the pieces of bread the people did not eat! When the people saw this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, "Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!" Jesus saw that they were ready to take him by force and make him king, so he went higher into the hills alone. (John 6:10-15 NLT).

I have recently had my prescription changed to manage pain a little better. While I don’t understand all the chemistry of the new drugs that are available, I do understand how my body has reacted to the new drug. It seems to be working much better! The concept, I am told, is that by inhibiting some of the pain receptors in my body, I will “feel” less pain. However it works, I am glad it does! It is a good preventative measure.

As I thought about this, I began to think of ways that we might prevent some of the pain and discouragement of life that is so common to all of us. What can we do when we see a trial coming our way? What should be our first method of defense against the storms of life? We all go through times in life where storms come out of nowhere, but sometimes we can actually see a storm coming and prepare for them. If you are the parent of a pre-teenager, for example, you can just about predict some storms ahead. They may not be strong storms, but most every parent of a teenager has some struggle during these maturing years. What should you do to prepare? Maybe you have aging parents and you know that some day you may be faced with difficult decisions concerning their care. How are you going to prepare? While we are on the subject, how are you going to prepare for the storms that may come without warning?

This week we will look at how Jesus responded to storms on the horizon. If we are to be mature Christians, then Jesus should be a model for us in life. Certainly the Son of God understood the ways of God and the world He created. We can learn how to live in a fallen world by watching and modeling the character of Christ.

With that introduction to the series, when Jesus saw that crowds were trying to disrupt God’s plan for His life, Jesus got alone to Himself. I am so glad to have good friends. The Lord has blessed me with many, but there are certain times that require me to be alone with God. I may have to put aside other work and carve out a block of time just to be still with the Lord. That isn’t easy with the demands of a full-time job, but it is vital to my spiritual health. When is the last time you were still long enough for God to speak comfort and direction to you? Could you hear from God if He tried to speak to you? A storm may be brewing ahead, or you may be in one now, and you will need the strength of a living and all-powerful God. First things first… spend some time alone with Him!