March 30- Cutting Out Cancer

March 30, 2011

Scripture Readings:
Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23; Luke 8:40-9:6
Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 12:5-7

Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.  If the spread is not controlled, cancer will result in death. Approximately 1.5 million cases of cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year.  Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the USA, second only to heart disease.  Who among us has not had a family member or friend struggle or even die from cancer?  Recently, a good friend of mine was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to her liver.  Thankfully, after much prayer and excellent medical care, my friend's cancer is in remission and she is on maintenance chemotherapy to keep it that way.  The process for making her healthy included major surgery to cut out the cancerous growths.

Today Moses treats the prospect of idol worship as a cancer among the Israelites.  He prescribes major surgery whereever growth of idolatry is detected.  God tells Moses that death should be the penalty for any prophet, family member, or fellow citizen who dares to lead an Israelite down the road of pagan worship.  Does this seem harsh to you?  Is it harsh to cut out a death-causing cancer?  Radical means are necessary when the destruction of a soul is imminent.  God does not want to lose even one of His precious ones.

Moses reviews the dietary laws for the Israelites.  You may remember that these laws are designed to keep the Jews healthy and set apart from the pagan people groups.  Most of the acceptable foods have less of a tendency to cause parasitic illness.  Obedience to these dietary laws required that the Jews take a stand for holiness.  God wants you and I to be set apart, also.  In what way does your behavior set you apart from unbelievers?

Moses also goes over the laws for tithing, cancelling debts, caring for the poor, and redeeming servants.  What do these rules about finances and debts tell us about God? One thing we learn is that our use of money often reflects a spiritual condition. 

• Tithing was required by the Israelites.  They were to give a first portion of their possessions to God. Do you give God the first fruits of your labor in recognition of His blessings to you? This pictured God giving His firstborn son to the world. It also reflected Christ being the first fruits of those who would be resurrected from the dead. This is a picture of what God would do for the whole world. He tithed His only son.
• As God had the Israelites cancel debts, He was picturing the work that Christ would do on the cross.  Christ's death cancelled the debts we owed to God caused by our sins.  Obedience to these laws reflected faith in Christ's future work on the cross. 
• God gave the Israelites methods for caring for the poor.  This pictures how God takes the poor in spirit and meets their spiritual needs, making them rich in Christ.
• The Israelites were commanded to periodically release their slaves and redeem them with a good and gracious attitude.  This is how Christ redeems our sins with a joyful and gracious heart.  We were slaves to sin until Christ paid for our freedom. Did it cost him something to do this?  Yes.  It cost him everything, including his life.

God does not waste any opportunity to show us His plan for the redemption of the world.  What appears to be just another recounting of some boring Laws is actually a call to see Jesus Christ as the Savior.

Luke 8:40-9:6

Jesus lands on shore and is immediately surrounded by people who have needs.  Jesus is here to help the poor in spirit.  He is ready to make them rich in Christ.  A local synagogue official named Jarius has a twelve year old daughter who is dying.  He comes to request Jesus' help. Meanwhile, a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years touches Jesus in faith and is instantly healed.  Jesus stops the commotion to find the woman and tell her that her faith has made her well.  As they approach Jarius' house, the crowd informs Jesus that the girl has died.  He proceeds anyway and brings the girl back to life.  Jesus asks the family not to tell anyone about this.  Jesus is more interested in healing the sick, rather than becoming a political king for the Jews at this point in the story.  Becoming the king will come later. Jesus knows that to truly save the Jews and all people on earth, he must first die to pay the penalty for their sins.

Jesus starts to spread his healing powers by giving the apostles power from God to heal others.  He encourages them to rely on God in faith during their ministry and to shake the dust off of their feet from any town or house that does not have faith in God.

Would the apostles need to shake the dust off of their feet from your home?  Can Jesus heal your sorrows because of your faith?  Can he raise you from the death of unbelief into the life of faith?

Psalm 71:1-24

"My life is an example to many because You have been my strength and protection."  Do you realize that God wants you to be able to say this about your own life?

Proverbs 12:5-7

The wicked and the godly are opposites.  This proverb makes that clear.

What did you see today?

Blessings,

Jubilee Gal
Kathy Fullerton
© 2011