CUP OF GOODNESSDate: 22-08-2010
Speaker: Dr. Paul Dhinakaran Gist: Be of good cheer. You are healed by HIS STRIPES.
Each one of us are called to run this race called life. Perhaps your heart is thumping heavily. When you are seated in a Prayer Festival, you enjoy the presence of God and experience heaven on earth. However, once again when you step into the world the fear, “What would my future be?’ grips you. On this day, God has an answer for this question of yours. He gives you a promise. Jesus Christ says that He is the good Shepherd who is willing to lay down His life for His sheep and see that they are not in want (John 10:11). Whatever a good Shepherd does for His sheep is described in Psalm 23.
Our Lord Jesus Christ as a good Shepherd will take care of each one of us, see that we lack no good thing and are prosperous in every aspect of our life. When the good Shepherd is with us, we need have no fear even while walking through the valley of sickness or death. Sickness is terrible. Job says, “My face is flushed from weeping, And on my eyelids is the shadow of death” (Job 16:16). The Psalmist says, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools” (Psalm 84:5, 6). When sickness attacks a member of a family, the whole family would be walking through the valley of tears. When my father was nigh unto death owing to kidney failure, we all walked through the valley of tears. In the year 1990 when my father’s heart stopped functioning following a heart attack we were in tears. I can very well understand the pangs of sickness. Perhaps you or your dear ones are sick and consequently you are traversing through the valley of tears. The good Shepherd is with you even as you are traveling through the path of sickness. Is Jesus Christ abiding with you just to cry along with you? When we do not get healed of our illness, our friends, relatives, family members, doctors and others will do their best and when situations go out of their control all that they can do is but sit and cry. However, Jesus Christ will not only stop the tears from all faces but would also resurrect the sick person.
Jesus Christ tasted death but having defeated it, He is alive forever more (Revelations 1:18). Therefore, we have a good Shepherd who has destroyed the devil and the sickness of people on the cross at Calvary. Be of good cheer! We are all healed by HIS STRIPES (Isaiah 53:5).
Prayer:
Loving Lord Jesus,
On this day with a heart full of gratitude I offer my thanks to You. You alone can make my cup run over with Your goodness and mercy. Surround me with Your perfect grace and guide me throughout this day. Help me to feel Your presence always. May my thoughts, words and deeds be pleasing to You. Prosper all my efforts and make me glad.
In Your matchless name I pray.
Amen. |