Take As Directed

T

ake as directed!  These are the instructions written across the label of the prescription bottle containing my heart medication.  Twice a day, I open this bottle, remove one of the capsules, take the medicine, and continue on with my day.  It has just become a part of my daily routine.

For the past thirty-nine years, I have been taking medication to control episodes of irregular heart rhythms. Although the medications have changed over the years, the necessity of taking them each day has remained the same.  Some of the medications required four doses per day, some required three doses, and my present medication requires only two.

The potency of the drug determines how long I can go between doses.  The important thing is to maintain a constant level of medication in my body so my heart will always be protected and have the resources it needs in times of trouble.  If I don’t maintain the proper level of medication, then I run the risk of experiencing a rapid heart rhythm.

Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, also wrote a prescription to keep man’s heart in the proper working order.  When his disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them the prayer that millions have learned by heart.  This prayer has been repeated in times of joy, times of sadness, times of fear, and times of isolation by people all over the world.

Yet, very few of us ever take notice of the wonderful truths contained within this brief conversation with God. Jesus’ third statement in this prayer reveals the secret to maintaining a healthy relationship with God and keeping our hearts pure before him.  Jesus says in Luke 11:3, ^“Give us each day our daily bread.” 

In this one statement, Jesus conveys two essential truths of the Christian life.  First, God supplies us with our daily sustenance. He is the one who provides our food and all the necessities to sustain life.  We must always look to him as the source of all that we have, the wellspring from which our lives flow.  

When was the last time you thanked God for the several thousand times your heart beats in a day?  When was the last time you thanked him for the hundreds of breaths you draw?  When was the last time you thanked him for your ability to hear, see, smell, feel, taste, etc.?

Second, Jesus’ words can be applied spiritually as well.  He is the bread of life and we need to partake of him daily.  This is the only way to keep our hearts safe, protected, and acceptable before God.  God’s word is our heart medicine.  Without it, our hearts just don’t run correctly and they risk getting us into trouble. However, if we spend time in God’s word, feeding on it, concentrating on it, and making it a part of our lives, we will find that our relationship with God will stay healthy.

If you knew your heart wasn't working properly, you’d make an appointment with your doctor who would then send you to see a cardiologist.  Whatever the doctor prescribed, you would do in order to protect and heal your heart.  How much more important is it, then, to follow the prescription that God gives us?  Who knows the human heart better?  Who better than God knows what we need on a daily basis to keep us spiritually fit and in working order?  Take as directed!  Have you had your medicine today?