“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”-James 1:17
Our brother David Muiznieks is recovering from gall bladder surgery. Doctors removed three stones from his body. They were the size of hen’s eggs. They relieved his body of a par three of golf balls without cutting him open. Somehow surgeons removed the offending paper weights through a tube (laparoscopy). This all made me think of God. It is our Lord who gives us and sustains our life. God gives people special gifts to aid other human beings along life’s dusty trail. All of these things are gifts from Jehovah.
Creation: Recently I have been meditating on the wonder of creation and the miracle of life expressed by Moses in this way, “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”-Genesis 2:7. The miraculous healing ability of our bodies is truly wonderous to behold. A woman can give birth to a nine-pound baby and recover. Our created flesh has the power to repair and replicate in ways we do not understand. All of this is from God, “who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.”-Romans 4:17.
Of all the gifts God has given us, our created bodies are an expression of his power over creation, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”-Psalm 139:14. Think of the healing gift we have seen in three healthy births this year. We have seen members of our church and close relatives: overcome COVID, recover from accidents, overcome cancer, withstand stones both kidney and gall bladder, etc. For those whose bodies succumbed to this world of sin and death, the same Spirit that gives life is a deposit of eternal life for the faithful who serve.
Wisdom: God also heals through gifts he gives to men and women in the medical profession. When a doctor uses reasoning and an understanding of science to heal, the source of that wisdom is the Lord. The ability to make good judgements is a gift to all mankind, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;”-Proverbs 2:6. Christians have access to surplus stores of discernment, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”-James 1:5.
Skill: Brother Muiznieks sent me a picture of his surgically removed gall bladder and stones. I was immediately struck by the skill and resourcefulness of the surgeon. Somehow he removed three, egg-sized rocks using a technique which normally uses only a one-inch incision. This creative thinking and applied knowledge took a high level of craftsmanship to execute. It makes me think of Bezalel and Oholiab.
In the book of Exodus, God gives Moses instructions for how to build the ark of the covenant and its tabernacle. It would take unique ability to construct such beautiful and reverent objects. God was ready with gifts, “Bezaleli…he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship…and Oholiab…He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen,”-Exodus 35:30-35.
God blesses us with life in our created bodies. He grants us wisdom and skill to bring earthly healing to our neighbors. And he has blessed us all with talents we are to use in building up the body of Christ (Romans 12:4-8). May God give us a zeal to use them!
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