Self help book or God’s Word
by Diane Daune
Walk into any bookshop and you will see shelves of self help books. If you need advice on personal relationships, then a number of writers will give you their advice. Perhaps you want to lose weight or get fit quickly; someone is willing to share with you how they did it. Alternatively you might want advice on how to remain healthy.
In Exodus 15:26 the Lord provided the Israelites with advice that would keep them safe. "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you." The instructions had been given to Moses.
Now Moses was raised in Egypt, in the wisdom of the Egyptians (Acts 7:22). As an educated man Moses would have known about the Egyptian remedies – very similar to the traditional Chinese and eastern remedies of today. These remedies were unsafe and often brought disease rather than cure. Some of the remedies contained the dust of statues, beetle shells, mouse tails, and dust. Moses as the leader of the Israelites could have continued to use these methods based on conventional wisdom. However Moses listened carefully to the voice of the Lord our God. He paid attention to God’s commands and kept all His decrees. Moses trusted God and believed His promise to protect the Israelites from the diseases suffered by the Egyptians.
God’s decrees are designed for our safety. Too often we reach for the self help books or eastern remedies (which are derived from foreign religious beliefs) rather than the Word of God. God is interested in every area of our lives and His Word covers every eventuality.
Strong>Prayer: Father God, it never ceases to amaze me that You are so interested in every area of my life. Thank You for Your commands and decrees which are relevant today just as they were in Moses’ time. Father I confess that sometimes I trust in the advice of man rather than Your Word. Please show me where I have been deceived. I choose to trust in Your Word and apply Your decrees designed for my safety to my life. Amen.
Diane Daune has a background in children’s nursing and enjoys creative crafts. She has been part of the associate ministry team at Ellel Grange since 2005. She is married to Joss and together they support the ministry of a small rural church in the Ribble Valley.
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