The Great Physician

“If God so clothe the grass of the field…shall He not much clothe you” Matthew 6:30

I had my first experience with the African health care system this week. After about several days of high fevers, cough, aches, congestion, and night sweats, I realized it may not be the flu I was dealing with. So I finally told the missionaries and asked if they would take me to the doctor. You do not call and make appointments here, you just show up at the doctor and wait in line until it is your turn. I sat, for about an hour in line, scooting seat by seat to the front. Then, I was summoned to a room where I sat and waited for the doctor. As I told him my symptoms, he looked at me told me he thought it was a flu bug but had me lay back to look at my throat and tonsils just in case. When he did he had me sit right up and said “It’s not the flu, you have bacterial tonsillitis”. Apparently my tonsils were coated in the white pouches (like strep throat). So I walked out of the room and over the next room which was the pharmacy and they handed me little packets of drugs to take, anti-biotics, pain reliever, fever reducer, and a gargle mouth wash. I then paid in cash for the whole visit. Very simple.

Simple. I sometimes forget how simple God is. The simple truth is, that He provides for the birds of the air and the flowers in the field, will He not provide for me also?  In looking back, just at this sickness, did I even once pray and ask God to provide for me and heal me? Probably not, instead I looked to myself to tough it out, and when that did not work, I looked to man to provide for me. But God was faithful and provided the medical care that I needed. It is not wrong that I sought medical attention, it is that I did not let God play a role in that area of my life. Had I brought this request before God, might He have taken care of it so that I may have been able to accomplish more important things? This is what I am learning, total dependence on Him. I have been placed here in Africa for a time and it is my responsibility to let God make the most use of me. If I run around worrying and dealing with things myself, and not bringing them to the Father, I am refusing to grow where I am put, and, consequently, taking root nowhere? Oswald Chambers says that, “Consecration means the continual separation of myself to one particular thing.” I cannot consecrate once and for all, but am I continually separating myself to consider God every day of my life?

Mother Theresa had a quote that is very basic but carries so much truth, “The way of Christ is simple, but not easy. Love until it hurts, then keep on loving.” That is my job, plain and simple, to love. All else is in His hands. And that is the goal towards which I am striving. To be sweetly broken and wholly surrendered to my God who will meet all of my needs.