In a few days, a major Canadian telecommunications company will be sponsoring a campaign to raise awareness about mental health. When the New Year began, people across Quebec wished each other prosperity and good health. As the first month of the year draws to a close, it is interesting that mental health is at the forefront of media attention. As someone who has not suffered from depression, I can only imagine what it must be like for those who face this battle. Having been sick for the past week, I am realizing more and more that good health – physical and mental – is vital to a productive life.
One of the many ways that we can know that the Bible is God’s Word is the honest portrayal of sin and human failure that we find throughout the Scriptures. For example, Elijah prayed that he might die (1 Kings 19:4), after he ran for his life. What he needed was rest, food and reassurance from God that he was not the only one who stood for righteousness. The Lord told him that there were 7,000 others who remained true to Him (v. 18).
In the account of Elijah expressing his despair to God, we read that an angel touched him and told him to get up and eat (v. 5). There was a time for Elijah to sleep and a time to get up and take steps to getting back on track for God. As believers, we need to ask God to direct us to get the proper amount of rest, but not too much. A world that is going to hell without knowing God’s forgiveness for their sins needs to hear that God loves them and sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to redeem mankind.
I spoke to Lise on the phone today. Her brother died a couple of weeks ago after going through several health challenges. Please pray for Lise and her family as they grieve his passing. Contrary to what some people believe, the Bible does not teach that we should pray for those who have died. There is nothing in the Bible about people going to a place called purgatory. There is a lot about heaven and hell, though, and what God desires for each of us.
Scripture for the weekend: “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”Hebrews 9:27-28 (NIV)
Steve