The Torn Veil

Mark 15:38 – And the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.

The death of Jesus was accompanied by an exceptionally significant and remarkably unusual occurrence; the veil which cordoned off the area of the temple known as the Holy of Holies, was torn in two. According to historians, that veil or curtain, was approximately sixty feet wide, forty feet high, and four inches thick. This was an extremely heavy and strong fabric. It would not be possible for any man to tear this veil; only God, Himself, could have torn it. It is also interesting to note that it was torn from the top to the bottom, which seems to establish that this was, in fact, an act of God. Someone has once said that if change does not come from the top down by revelation, it will come from the bottom up by revolution. In this case, God Himself, was initiating a dramatic change, from the top down.

The temple was always considered hallowed to the Jew, but the Holy of Holies was the place of utmost sacredness. There was such a holy fear and deep reverence about it that the average person would not dare to ask any questions about its’ mystery. Why was there a veil to begin with? What lies beyond the veil? Many priests ministered in the holy place, but only one priest was granted access to the Holy of Holies and that was the High Priest, and He was only permitted behind that thick curtain once a year on the Day of Atonement. Even though he was the High Priest and carried a lot of authority, on that day his authority would not be what protected him; his only safeguard would be his humility, and so he ventured in with trepidation and great precaution.

The veil was torn. A tear in any fabric is difficult, if not impossible, to mend. God was making a statement about the veil; He did not want man to step in and try to fix it. No! For God knows that when man attempts to fix things, particularly spiritual things beyond his understanding, he always makes matters worse. Religion is man’s attempt to fix things, mend things, and make them right. Religion wants to sew the veil and get back to the way things were. God, however, wanted a lasting change and He tore the veil for that reason.

That veil separated men from God’s presence, it put distance between them. It shrouded man’s understanding of God, thus creating a distorted view of the True and Living God. When the veil was torn it symbolized the freedom for all people to draw near and come close to God. It is as if God was saying, ‘Come, do not be afraid to approach my presence. You do not have to be anyone special, you do not need a list of credentials, or an impeccable lifestyle. All can come. All are invited. All are welcome.’

The other exciting thing that the torn veil illustrates is that not only can men now freely come to God, but God Himself moved out from behind the heavy curtain. He would no longer be veiled in mystery because of His choice to allow Himself to be seen in a new light. He would now be mobile and not limited to a certain place or city. Religion always insists that specific places are more sacred than others and so we must journey to those places to benefit. However, in God’s mind, it is not about the sanctified places as much as it is the sacred faces. Our gracious Father loves and values people, He longs for relationship.

He tore the veil because that veil only served a purpose until Jesus died. His death marked the beginning of a new era for mankind. It inaugurated a new relationship between God and man; indeed, Jesus’ death initiated a completely new creation. There would now be no separation, no barrier, nor exclusion.  It is as if our Father is saying, ‘It matters not where you have been, nor where you are right now. I am calling out for you. Like a love-struck man pursuing the woman of his dreams, I am pursuing you. I will not stop, my love for you is relentless. Don’t run from me. Slow down, stop, and listen. There is only one other veil that needs to be torn, and that is the veil in your mind that stops the true light from entering. I have torn the veil of the old way of doing things, now you must tear the veil of lies that have kept you from me. Rip the veil of fears that have blocked me out. Simply whisper the name of Jesus and the inner veil will be destroyed. The light and warmth of my love and grace will penetrate your heart and you will see how valuable and precious you are to me. Together we will walk, full of hope, into a brand-new and fulfilling future.’

 

Light in the Darkness

Isaiah 9:2 - The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them the light has shined. 

 

Darkness. Just the mention of the word brings up feelings of heaviness, sadness, isolation, and despair. Memories of lost loved ones, reminders of broken relationships, and the pain of sheer loss may come to us when we sit alone in the dark. Our world is confused, perplexed, divided, and polarized. It is in a state of darkness, which is separating us from the light and warmth of family and friends. Even those who may not be separated and alone are still, quite often, lonely.

I once heard that loneliness might be the longing of one’s heart crying out for relationship. It might be the soul calling out to be noticed. If that is true, then the sense of aloneness and solitude can be an opportunity to listen for the Voice that is whispering your name. Even though our world may be a dark place, a place without hope, a place without guidance, without purpose, yet there is a light that shines in the darkness. When the night comes, as it does to all of us, we must remember that the light has not stopped shining. It has not changed. The light remains undiminished. It is we that have changed. Just as the Earth revolves and reorients itself to the Sun, so we too, must again turn our eyes to the light.

Religion is man’s attempt to bring light to the world, but sadly, that light is no more than a flashlight and the batteries are dying. Religion preaches right and wrong, good and bad, worthy and unworthy. God’s light does neither, it simply shines. It unveils with intense clarity things as they are. Light never needs to boast or trumpet its entrance, it is silent yet poised and powerful. It diffuses its rays effortlessly and darkness must always give way to its influential presence.

The verse above relates to the time of the very first Christmas, indeed the birth of Jesus marked the arrival of a very great light. The world had always walked in darkness, only darkness, heavy darkness, and like a night-time creature, all eyes had adjusted to it. The hope of light had diminished, and it seemed like darkness had won…but a Child was born. And this Child was like no other. He shone a bright and illuminating light, He dispelled the night wherever He went, and He still does today.

I want to encourage you, friends, when you think of this season, when you think of your life and the changes you hope for, do not think of religion and who is right and who is wrong. Do not think of governments and who is good and who is bad. Do not think of all that is chaotic or depressing. No! Simply think of Jesus who is light. Think of the power of light and the warmth and life that it brings. Remove the barriers that are blocking the light. Open the shutters of your heart and mind and let the light in. That light will inspire you and illuminate your path. What clarity, what hope, what joy, what a future light creates! Truly and undeniably, ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great Light!’

He Gives Power to the Faint

 

Isaiah 40:29 - He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength. 

    The God we serve is not far off, distant, or disengaged from our lives; in fact, He is the exact opposite of that. He is the up close and personal God; the greatest and most caring Father one could ever know, and this is the One of whom Isaiah says that He gives power to the faint. It is always His will and desire to give, and that is because giving is His very nature.

    What is it that the Lord wants to give? Power. Nothing in this life will be of any use without power. Mankind has always looked for ways to harness a greater power to produce maximum results. In the days before electrical power was dominant, there were other forms of power which were utilized by men. It might have been the power of the long branch operated to leverage a heavy object, or the power of the horse pulling a plow, or that of the rushing river turning a wheel to grind flour. Likewise, our bodies need an outside power which is greater than ourselves, and our gracious Father is in the power business.

    He gives power; we do not earn it. It is freely given, but just like electricity must be conducted, so the laws surrounding God’s power must be followed for it to flow unhindered. As was stated previously, it is always God’s will to give, but there is no giving without one to receive the gift, and the way that we receive from Him is by faith. Faith is conducive to the flow of power.

   When something is referred to as being faint, then that means it is feeble and weak. A faint signal would be one that is extremely hard to hear and barely perceptible; a faint light would be a dim bulb that is on the verge of burning out; and a faint body would be one that is very fragile and without strength or vitality. God gives power to the faint; He strengthens the weak bodies of people and places them on a path of recovery. He strengthens their resolve and fills them anew with hope. Power from God does not always remove the sickness instantaneously, although it can, it often simply strengthens the body and promotes a healing process. If we are struggling with a sickness or, a chronic weakness of any kind, based on this verse, we can confidently ask and expect God to give us His power and strength to overcome the difficulty.

    Who is it that God desires to give His power to? The faint and those who have no strength. The heart of our Father God seems to be attracted to the underdog and to those who have no one to help them. Indeed, He says elsewhere that He will not extinguish a dimly burning wick. This is good news for all who find themselves in a dark and depressed place, without hope, for when we are at the end of our self, we find the beginning of God. The end of our rope is the place where we can let go and let God catch us in His loving arms, and once those arms surround and embrace us, His power is simultaneously transferred through those arms into us. He is so faithful; without a doubt; He gives power to the faint.

Stand on Guard

 

Proverbs 4:23 – Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.

There is some very passionate and intense language in this verse exhorting us to guard our hearts. To guard something implies that there is danger nearby that may threaten its safety and preservation. If I am guarding a valuable treasure, that means that I will have to take precautions to keep it out of the hands of vandals or thieves. I will have to have plans in place to ensure its protection. Anything of value in this life is at risk of being stolen, for there is always a thief watching and waiting to take what doesn’t belong to him.

Not only are we told to guard the treasure of our hearts, we are told to do it above all else. Let this take precedence. Let this be your priority. If we do not guard our hearts, we may lose everything. Nothing else matters if we lose our sense of purpose, or we lose our own sense of value; we have lost everything. I could have a lot of money but be totally empty inside. I could have a large paid-for house, but no friends or family around to enjoy it with me. Or, sadly, I could have a successful ministry and large congregation, but it may have cost me much more than I intended.

Of course, all these things are part of the challenge of living a balanced life. God desires for us to be productive in life; He wants us to be influencers and leaders within our social circles. He knows what it takes to make a living, to raise a family, to serve in your church, or community. Balance and priorities are the keys to a happy and fulfilling life.

Our primary task is keeping a close eye on our heart, which is our inner man, our spirit, the person within, who is in contact and communion with God. Like the roots of a tree, which are hidden from our view, our spirit is rooted in the unseen realm, deep in the soil of God and through that connection, we draw up life from Him. Just as that same tree needs its roots to be protected, so we, too, must diligently guard our hearts for, like the roots, out of it comes our very life. The condition of our life is determined by the condition of our heart, just as the health of the root determines the health of the fruit.

If we’ve made wrong choices and said stupid things, as all of us have, we should listen to the counsel of a friend of mine who always has deep insights from God. He says, ‘Instead of asking others, why does this keep happening to me? We should ask ourselves, why does this keep coming out of me?’ In other words, the problem may be a little closer to home than we would like to admit, but then again, so is the solution.

A tree does not grow on its’ own; it grows within a context and setting. We too, do not grow on our own. We are planted in a setting and within an environment. We are dependent on the temperature of the climate and the condition of the soil. Sun, wind and rain are all factors. We do not control any of those things, but we can control our response to them. In fact, just as God has designed the tree to remain healthy and thus, be able to withstand adversity, we too, have been designed by God to remain healthy and to thereby, resist harsh conditions. We are created to not only survive but thrive.

Guard your heart. Don’t let the hardships and trouble poison you. Don’t let those things change you. You are a child of the Father and His love is in you, and one of the best ways to guard your heart is to keep walking in love. I’ve always been impressed with those who have gone through the harshest experiences and bitter betrayals, and yet have remained tender and sweet. Now, that is the kind of tree that will fill one’s life with bountiful and beautiful fruit forever.

 

Are You Aware of Your Blindspots?

 

Proverbs 12:15 - The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; but he that hearkens to counsel is wise. 

    It is an unhappy propensity in all of us, that once we decide that we are right about something, we bulldoze ahead, not listening to anyone, or considering what others have to say. This is what the Bible describes as the way of a fool.

    The pathway of the foolish is the course that they are on; it is the habits, patterns and methods that are consistently followed. In the fool’s narrow mind, he is always right. When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden, He commanded them to refrain from eating of one specific tree: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Some have suggested that it could be called, the tree of the knowledge of right and wrong. If we are not careful, it is very easy to fall into this foolish way of living; that of making all our decisions based on who’s right and who’s wrong. Years ago, a young married man decided that his wife was not listening to him, so he took her to my pastor friend, and described in detail how she was wrong. My friend quietly listened and then wisely answered him by saying that he could either insist on being right, or he could be married. He was living by right and wrong instead of partaking of a different tree; that of the tree of life. Isn't this our tendency?

    If we think we are right about something, and we may be, we should first, wisely consider what others think. Some people brazenly say, ‘I don't care what anyone thinks.’ While it is true that we do not care what everyone thinks, surely, we care what some people think. I certainly care what my wife thinks, I care what my children think, I care what my coworkers think, and I care what my pastor thinks. There are significant others whom we must wisely consult and listen to before making our big decisions. Another's perspective is essential to a successful life, because we all have blind spots.

    When driving down the road, before we make a left-hand lane change, we check our rear-view and side-view mirrors, but we also sensibly do a shoulder check, because in between those two mirrors is a blind spot. This is how we get into trouble and many collisions take place. We don't discipline ourselves to take the necessary precautions before going ahead. If we want to remain safe, we cannot skip the shoulder check. Listening to another's counsel is like that shoulder check, and wisdom will always lead us to do it. We have seen many things like this happen. We can see the person up ahead begin to make a lane change, and because we are far enough back that we have perspective, we can see that he's going to crash into another car. It is so clear and obvious to the one who has perspective, but not to the one who thinks he's right and blindly moves ahead.

    We can see this same thoughtlessness illustrated when a pedestrian, who has the right of way, foolishly steps off the curb without looking, and is hit by a car. He may have been right; he even had the right of way. The driver was unmistakably wrong, but sadly, in this case, the pedestrian was killed; he was so right, that he was dead right.

    Let's be wise, friends, and slow down and ask the trusted people around us what they think. We may not like everything we hear, because we may learn some unpleasant or unflattering things about ourselves. As we grow older, it is harder to hear those things and change, but a wise and humble person will always do it.

 

Jesus Christ; The Same

 

Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

          Our Lord Jesus is referred to by many different titles, such as Saviour, Redeemer and Lord, and His character is also described in many ways. For example, in John’s writings, he refers to Jesus as, Jesus Christ the Righteous, the Faithful Witness, the First Born from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. In our text today, we could add another description of His character, and that is one that should fill our hearts with great assurance and hope; Jesus Christ, the Same.

          The fact that He is the same, forms a very solid basis for my sense of security in life. He is the same. He has never changed, not in any way. Every yesterday of my life, He was there, and He was the same as He has always been. His heart of love that pursues me, and His calling on my life have never once wavered. I have wavered; I have not remained the same, I have not been steady but, thankfully, He has. My past was never lived without being under His watchful and closely kept eye. Regardless of the circumstances, I know without a doubt that He has been faithful to me, and that faithfulness is the very definition of remaining the same. Jesus Christ the same, yesterday.

          What about today? Can we bank on the fact that He is the same right now? Yes, we can! He is the same compassionate God who created the universe to begin with. He is the same One who longed for a relationship with mankind, and thus made us in His image. And, of course, Jesus is the same Man who walked through this life ministering and unveiling the heart of God to all. He is the forgiving One. He is the healing One. He is the Restorer of lost souls. He is the Master coach, who mentors and guides us into a life of victory over trouble. Jesus Christ the same, today.

          What He was yesterday, and what He is today, He will remain the same forever. Throughout the ages He will always be the One who loves, leads, lifts, and loosens. He loves us in our lowest points, and He leads us into His perfect will. He lifts us from the deepest and darkest of pits, and He loosens us from the chains that have bound us and held us captive. Through this life and the next we can rest assured that He will never change. Jesus Christ the same, forever.

          Different branches of the church believe that what Jesus once did, when He lived and walked among us, as recorded in the Gospels, He does not do anymore. The day of miracles is past, they say. If that is true, then this verse is not true, because this verse assures us that whatever He has done, He is still doing today because He is the unchanging One. He still heals the sick and suffering ones. He still has compassion on the weak and the poor. He still shows mercy to all who cry out to Him. He forgives the sinner. He restores the outcasts. He welcomes those who have been rejected and ostracized. He feeds the hungry, He clothes the naked. He shelters the homeless. Jesus proclaimed that God had anointed Him to preach the gospel to the poor, he had sent Him to heal the broken-hearted, and to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. Thank God, regardless of our actions or failures, this one truth can be completely relied upon; Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever!

 

Are You Prepared?

Proverbs 21:31 - The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. 

In our day, many people seem to think that the world owes them something and that they are entitled to have anything they want without it costing them a dime, and once again, Proverbs clears away that nonsense and sets the record straight. Nothing in life comes out of the blue, instantaneously, or free; someone prepared ahead of time and someone paid a price. Scripture teaches us that we can not flippantly and lazily sit back and presume that safety and victory will be automatically ours. Even though God wills our safety and He wants our victory, there are laws of preparation that are necessary and vital.

The horse was an effective vehicle of war and these horses, as well as the men that rode them, were meticulously groomed for battle. Men did not assume that they would be victorious in battle if they did not first spend much time in preparation. As Christians, we understand that we are in a battle, but the battle is not a physical one, it is a fight of faith. So, we must do our part to prepare and get ready, and then we must trust in the Lord, because safety and victory is of the Lord, that is His part.

The word prepare means to be cut ahead of time. The life we live is not always easy, in fact, it is quite often difficult and hard. Preparation is one of our safeguards as we enter any conflict. Before a soldier is sent into the battle he is prepared ahead of time, he is put through the gauntlet until he learns the discipline of a warrior and earns the stripes on his shoulder. He spends weeks of gruelling training during bootcamp; he gets pushed and pulled, bumped and bruised and cut ahead of time. Before an Olympian competes in the games she is prepared, she cuts out a lot of valid activities to focus on her training. She must endure plenty of difficulty and sacrifice and lots of time and hardship. No doubt, during the training, accidents may happen in which injury occurs; her muscles will be bruised, her bones may be broken; she is tested before she is trusted; she is cut ahead of time. For both the soldier and the athlete, there is no reward for defeatists or quitters.

The deliberate cuts that come ahead of time prepare us for the unavoidable cuts that will come during the battle. And because we have been prepared, the hardships faced and wounds incurred during the battle will not stop us from finishing the fight with victory.

So the question necessarily arises; does God cut us? Well, hesitatingly, yes, but remember that the cuts of God are not what religious tradition has taught; they are not tragedy and disaster, or sickness and disease. Those are not the cuts of God for He is much more proficient than that. The cuts that God gives are clean and razor-sharp and are done primarily through His Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, and they are given under the skillful hand of the Holy Spirit. God does cut us, but He cuts us the way that an experienced orchardist prunes his trees. He cuts very carefully and with a distinct purpose, which is always for the benefit of the tree. God does cut us, but He cuts us the same way an expert surgeon cuts out a tumor. He cuts with a measured caution and with a meticulous accuracy, removing the dreaded enemy of our health and wellbeing. Cuts, cut-backs and, even cut-offs are sometimes necessary for the continued health of both trees and people.

    I once heard a successful leader say that if he had only a short time to accomplish a huge undertaking, he would spend the bulk of his time in preparation. Be encouraged, friends, do your part and get ready. Prepare ahead of time. Don’t rush the process. Remember that preparation is never wasted time, because only those who are properly prepared can ride out into the battles of life and confidently expect the Lord to keep them safe and give them victory.

Quit Blaming Others; Get to Work!

Quit Blaming Others; Get to Work!

Proverbs 6:6-8 - Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

 

    The natural world can teach us many lessons about life, the way things work and the principles that govern all of it. Wisdom is clearly revealed in God’s creation.

    In today’s culture and generation, there seems to be a growing sense that life owes them. We have rights, after all. What are you going to do for me? This view could be called a sense of entitlement; I was born here so I have a right to have the best freely given to me. Sadly, this attitude has followed people into their adulthood and is now widespread in our government, our schools, our workplaces and, our churches.

    We have fallen prey to bankrupt philosophies that do not produce what they promise. Our school systems do not require what they once did from students; we have taken away the concept of reward for accomplishment; now we reward simple existence. We have gone from giving awards for achievement to giving awards for participation. The idea that everyone is valuable is something we agree with and wish to promote but, the idea that everyone should be given the same amount and the same reward is something we disagree with and wish to eradicate. All people are equal in value but, not all people are equal in what they possess or accomplish. Study history, friends, that kind of agenda has failed worldwide. Many employers of today, because of a shortage of willing workers, are afraid to correct those who need it for fear that they will leave. If people will not respond to proper correction and direction, let them go; blessed riddance; the whole workplace will thank you for it, and productivity will go up. The sluggard, themselves, may one day come back to thank you for doing the right thing.

    The lazy person is instructed to go to the ant. This levels the playing field for all people; everyone can find an anthill or a colony to observe. He did not say go to the university or go to the library; the wisdom that is needed is not inaccessible or far away; just go outside and look down. Consider the ways of the ant. The ant is not sitting around waiting for payday, no, it instinctively goes to work. It is a steady contributor to the greater good of the colony; it has a sense of duty, not entitlement, and all of it is built into its’ nature.

    The ant is considered wise because even though it has no one watching over it to ensure that it is working, it works anyway. Someone has once defined character as that which you do when no one is watching. The ant has an intrinsic work ethic that spurs it on in its’ tasks.

    Another characteristic of the ant which is worthy of our notice is that it gathers food during the harvest, meaning, it gathers food when the food is available. It does not put off things. It does not procrastinate and thus miss out on the opportunities presented to it. Many of us have fallen prey to procrastination and laziness; we have postponed our diligence not knowing that negligence opens the door for all kinds of negative and destructive things. Nature abhors a vacuum and so does the human heart; if the door is open thieves will come in, make themselves right at home and consume all your goods.

    The ant is amazingly strong and productive and we too, can have those same qualities as we consider her ways. Ways are habits, patterns and routines that depict ones’ character. If we develop a hard-working and honest lifestyle, we instill in ourselves the ways of God. Isaiah has told us that God’s ways are higher than our ways but, we can take His Word and make His higher ways our ways, thus we will elevate our lives.

    The Proverbs always confront us with our responsibility. It is true that many things have happened to us that we are not responsible for, but we are responsible for our reaction to it. We are not helpless victims of the circumstances of life; we are powerful beings created in the image of God and we have the power to change our ways and enjoy the results. Go to the ant and watch how nothing will stop this energetic and productive worker. Blame is not part of its thinking or vocabulary, instead, it goes to work to fix the problem. Many people and workplaces today, always want to assign blame first and then find a solution but the ant will always find the solution and not waste time and energy determining who is at fault. Be encouraged, friends, just by making this one simple change, we can radically alter and improve our day to day lives. Go to the Ant!

 

Sustainable Living

Proverbs 18:14 - The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

    In today’s world, the education of our minds and

the fitness of our bodies are considered very important, and, of course, they are. However, in the rush to gain more knowledge, and in the push to exercise and train our bodies, we have forgotten an essential element of our being and make-up and that is the spirit of a person.

    The spirit is the inner core of a person; where God and man intersect and interact. The spirit is the deepest part of man, in which, motives, purposes and intentions gestate and develop. It is the driving force within every person; that which keeps one going.

    This aspect of our being must be re-emphasized if we are going to mature spiritually. Having a strong mind and body is certainly desirable and good, but behind it all, must be a strong spirit. God breathed life into His Words and had them written down to make them accessible for all. Jesus said that we cannot live on natural food alone, but we must have the Word of God to live; indeed, it is spiritual food, which, when ingested, produces spiritual energy and strength. If we do not eat for days, our bodies will get weaker and will not have the energy to function properly. The same is true spiritually; if we want a strong spirit, we must read and ingest the Word of God on a regular basis; the more consistent, the better.

    If we maintain the health and strength of our spirit, then we can expect to be sustained through any trial of infirmity or sickness. To be sustained implies that we would have everything that we need, not only to come through the sickness but, to overcome it. Much is said these days about sustainable living, which means that we must manage all of our resources and use them wisely ensuring that we have lasting reserves and the continued wherewithal, not only to survive but also, to thrive.

   We are responsible to keep our bodies fit by maintaining a system of proper diet, exercise and rest. In the same way, and maybe, even more importantly, we must maintain a daily regimen of reading, meditation and prayer. This assures us of spiritual fitness and inner wellbeing. Our spirit must be nourished and developed. Consistent Bible reading ensures an overall and balanced perspective that enables us to understand what God desires for our life and how He views our circumstances. Meditation, which is a lost art in today’s noisy and busy world, must be given a priority place in our lives. What a pleasure it is to take time to quietly ponder and slowly mull over the Word, just like a cow would chew grass, until all the nutrients are derived from it. As we do this our spirit is fed, releasing a creative energy of faith.

    If you are facing an illness, especially one that is chronic and life-threatening, the tendency is to panic and hastily look for solutions. Scripture encourages us to respond differently; to slow down and be still. Listen for the voice of your Father, who resides within you. He is the Great Physician; He is near; He is here, and He has the solution. Meditate on His words, for they are spirit and life; whisper them to yourself; let your spirit be nourished, built up and strengthened. As you do this, you will be sensitized to His voice and He will give you the direction you need. He will sustain you through the dark trial. He will empower you with courage. He will fill you with joy, and by this simple process alone, you will benefit; you will have drawn near to the Healer, in whose presence is life-changing power.