Freely!

 Happy Sunday!

"A woman was there who had been bleeding for twelve years. She had SPENT all her money on doctors, but no doctor was able to heal her."(Luke 8:43 Easy-to-Read Version).

We love the story of this woman.  Many songs have been sung, and sermons preached about her.  She pressed through the crowd and touched the hem of Jesus' garment.  Then, "Jesus said to her, “My daughter, you are made well because you BELIEVED. Go in peace.”(Luke 8:48 Easy-to-Read Version).  The King James Version of this scripture says, "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy FAITH hath made thee whole; go in peace."(Luke 8:48 KJV).

Don't miss this!  She had SPENT every dime she had in an effort to get well!  In Job 2, after Satan's first unsuccessful attempt to get Job to curse God, Satan came again before God.  Satan answered, “There's no pain like your own. People will do anything to stay alive."(Job 2:4 CEV).  WOW, the Father of Lies seemingly told the truth.  Men and women all around the world are spending their hard earned money on medicines, surgeries, and treatments in hopes of saving their lives.  Thank God for godly doctors, nurses and medical professionals!  BUT what will you do when they have exhausted their ability to help you?  What will you do when they diagnose a disease rarely seen and incurable?

"The Lord says, “Come, everyone who is thirsty—here is water! Come, you that have no money—buy grain and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk—it will cost you nothing! Why spend money on what does not satisfy? Why spend your wages and still be hungry? LISTEN to me and DO what I say, and you will enjoy the best food of all.  “Listen now, my people, and come to me; come to me, and you will have life! I will make a lasting covenant with you and give you the blessings I promised to David."(Isaiah 55:1-3 Good News Translation).  There seems to be theme here, FREE!  God likes to freely give!  Jesus commanded us to, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: FREELY ye have received, FREELY give."(Matthew 10:8 KJV).  The Apostle Paul wrote, "So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put EVERYTHING on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t GLADLY and FREELY do for us?"(Romans 8:32 Message).

As a child we were exposed to the Blues, the music genre that is.  Saturdays were for cleaning, and the sound track was the Blues.  When I think of the woman with the issue of blood, I think of the song, "Last Two Dollars" by Johnnie Taylor.  I know, I know it's shocking but true.  I think of how the woman in the song has been to the casino and spent all her money hoping for a "Big Pay Day".  Sadly, she's going out empty handed.  She's asking to borrow two dollars that will be just enough to get home on the bus, and listen to the Blues.  She's not asking for sympathy, but she needs deliverance!  God doesn't want us to live a sad beggarly life!  He sent Jesus so that we can have "Life, Abundant Life!"(John 10:10).  1 Timothy 6:17 tells us our God is, "the living God, who giveth us richly ALL things to enjoy."(KJV).

I enjoy Country Music too!  It's just White Blues!  LOL!  A song by Sugarland called, "Something More" inspired me to leave the St. Louis area years ago.  It's been a grand adventure, and a learning experience.  God has proven that there is something more!  He has a wonderful plan for us.(Jeremiah 29:11).  "And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him."(2 Corinthians 3:18 Message). Amen!

Love and prayers, Cynthia