Want a Free I Exam?

Imagine you have an appointment with the eye doctor. You could have sworn you set your alarm last night, but for whatever reason, you've overslept again. Time won’t allow you to reschedule, so you're in a rush to leave the house.

Getting up, you hurry to get ready. As you continue to chide yourself while bumping into things, you grab your glasses and a cup of coffee, and you're finally out of there. Heading to your 10 o’clock appointment, you break every traffic rule and miraculously reach the office on time. But after sitting there for 20 minutes, you wonder why you hurried so much.

Eventually you find an interesting magazine and you settle back in your chair, thumbing through the articles. At last, you run across one with bold type that you can read easily, but just as your interest begins to peak, your name is called.

With a sigh, you put your new treasure down and follow the nurse into the doctor’s office. When you get there, she puts those stinging drops in your eyes. Seeming not to care about your reaction to the drops, she begins to bombard you with questions.

After 20 minutes or so, the doctor finally comes in and makes you look at one of those funny eye charts. You guess at the letters because everything looks blurry now, and your mind begins to wander. But just as you start to fret about making it to your lunch appointment, the doctor sits back and tells you that you need a new pair of glasses. Going out with a sigh, you are glad that the visit is over, but wonder how you will pay for it.

While this scenario might sound familiar, the Bible talks about another kind of "I trouble" which is much more serious. In fact it can lead to death, and it can always be seen when I am my own master.
I am speaking about the sin of pride, which can keep a person from knowing God, or can dangerously cloud your vision if you do know Him. Pride is subtle, and it can easily sneak into each one of our lives like a serpent.

But the good news is that God has a solution for this. The Bible offers an I exam which is free, so instead of seeing an opthamologist, let’s go to doctor Jesus and reflect upon the following scripture verses.

While God’s evaluation is done on the honor system, please take it seriously. Note your reactions, taking the appropriate steps. Maybe you have wandered away from God, or you are coming to Him for the first time. In any case, here we go:

1. "Without me, you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
2. "I will not share my glory." (Isaiah 48:11)
3. "There is none good, not even one." (Romans 3:10)

If you find that God's evaluation is troubling, there is more good news. Jesus said, Come unto me, all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meak and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your soul. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Let’s look at the above verse in light of what we have said previously, and see how it applies. No matter what the situation is, the steps are the same.

The first step that Jesus told us about is coming to Him. Come to Him in a spirit of humility and confess the sin of pride, and you will find a new freedom.

Sin in our lives is like the static on a radio station. The further you travel from the radio signal, the weaker it becomes. In the same way, the further we move away from God in pride, the worse His signal gets.

The next step is taking His yoke. The yoke was an instrument which linked cattle or oxen together. As disciples, a spiritual yoke connects us to Christ. It offers both guidance and direction, and obedience to His leadership brings true joy.

The third step is to learn about Him, and one way you can do this is by going to Him in prayer. Spend time in worship, and tell Him that you can’t live your life without Him. Then come before His throne with your prayers and petitions.

Next, read God's Word on a daily basis. Make notes, mental or otherwise, and personalize the Scriptures, letting God speak to you.

Finally, rest in what He has done, for He said that His work was finished on the cross. Nothing you can do in your earthly strength will earn you brownie points with God, but the great news is that nothing can ever separate you from God's loving presence.

Follow the Master’s plan, and this free I exam will be the best and most fulfilling check-up you've ever had.

Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.hcmachaplains.org and click on the Donate Now link. You can also send donations by mail to HCMA (Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association). Our ID number is 560. The address is 377 E. Chapman Ave., Suite 260, Placentia, CA 92870. Finally, you're always welcome to join our Monday night Bible study or Tuesday night prayer meeting. Both are conducted by conference call, and they take place at 5:30 PM Arizona time. Our conference number is 712-775-7031, and our ID is 607518748. We hope to talk with you soon!

If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 507-369-6861.