I had lunch today with a friend who was enjoying a bottle of Nestles chocolate milk. I was drinking vitamin water with zero calories. When I mentioned his calorie intake he happily announced to me that he was following doctor’s orders. As a matter of fact his doctor had prescribed chocolate malts to help him gain some weight. You have to love a doctor like that. I’m thinking about changing doctors because one has an obligation to follow doctor’s orders.
Often we call Jesus the Great Physician. That He truly was. At the end of the Gospel of John we are told Jesus helped so many people the world couldn’t hold the books that could be written. He was a great diagnostician. Just think about some of His prescriptions. He told a woman to go and sin no more. He told the rich young ruler to sell all his possessions and give away the proceeds. He told a paralyzed man to take up his bed and walk. He told wedding guests to fill some water jars to the brim. He told a man to go and wash some mud off his eyes. He told Mary and Martha to roll away a large stone from their brother’s tomb. He told his disciples to pass out the loaves and fishes from a little boy’s lunch.
So what does Jesus prescribe for us? He said to us, “Come unto me and I will give you rest.” “Take up your cross and follow me.” “Let your light shine before others.” “Do not swear. Let your yeses be yes and your nos be no.” “Forgive others as you would have God forgive you.” These are prescriptions from the Master Physician. These are much better than chocolate malts. These are prescriptions for eternal happiness.
Written by Roger Bothwell on August 2, 2016
PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org