By: Joyce Picker
February 2024 Blog
Life experiences are often related in so many ways to our walk with the Lord. There are many journeys ahead of us. It is through these journeys that we grow and learn and develop into the person who resembles Yeshua. I’m sure you can all relate. Well, I want to share a story with you. It’s true and it’s a recent revelation to me.
One month ago, as I was at the doctor’s office, she wanted me to try the Dexcom glucose monitoring system. I’m sure you have heard of it; it’s been out on the market for a while now. It’s a way to monitor blood glucose levels minute by minute and to see what causes the spites and lows based on what is being eaten. I must say, the way I was raised was very healthy. My Mom was so conscious of providing the proper nutrition and if I had stuck with what I learned from her, I probably would not have gotten Diabetes Type 2 over twenty years ago in the first place, especially since it is fourth generation with me. (I still believe I am healed and will see the manifestation of it.) I had not been doing a great job of managing it (even though I thought I was eating right) that is until recently. The foods I thought were ok to eat were actually hurting me. Thus, my blood sugar levels were not being managed well. My doctor said most people who use the Dexcom system improve their blood sugar levels almost immediately. Why? Because they are monitoring everything they eat, thus managing diabetes.
While I’m sure you are thinking, this is fascinating but what does it have to do with being a Believer? Oh, I’m so glad you asked! Here is my recent revelation, “managing” the diabetes is like managing our walk with the Lord.
Matthew 13: 1-9 On that day after Yeshua left the house, He was sitting by the sea. 2 And large crowds gathered around Him; so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood on the shore. 3 And He told them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a Sower went out to spread some seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some seeds fell by the road; and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil. They sprang up immediately, because the soil wasn’t deep. 6 But when the sun came up, they were scorched; and because they had no roots, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew and choked them out.8 But others fell on good soil and were producing fruit. They yielded a crop—some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
I love this parable and if you break it down, 25% of all people who hear the Gospel will flourish. This is the 25% who literally “manage” their walk and growth to be an example to others and the Lord. There must be a willingness to learn and grow every day. In other words, just like “managing” diabetes, we must take responsibility ourselves, no one else can do it for us and we must be willing and open and admit we don’t really know it all even if we think we do.
Once I got the Dexcom, managing the diabetes looked so different then what I was doing. It includes being a watchman over my health, looking at everything I am eating and understanding how it affects my glucose levels. It takes time and it’s not so easy. I have found I have to understand the way my body processes protein, carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and fats and balancing it all out in a meal or a snack. I have learned what I need to do when my glucose is too high or too low. It is a balancing act for sure. Most of all, it means being aware ALL the time. I can’t just pop a piece of candy in my mouth and expect a positive result from it. The choices we make will ultimately affect us. Count on it.
Let’s look at Samson. Judges 14: 8-9 8 After a while he returned to get her, but turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion; and behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion.9 So he scraped it into his hands and went on, eating as he went. Now when he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it, though he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey from the carcass of the lion.
There are so many things wrong with this passage that it’s not even funny. However, I’ll stay focused on the fact that Samson, because he was pronounced a Nazarite from birth not only broke a code set forth by God himself about eating (unclean) foods, but he also gave the forbidden honey to his parents to eat! If he was hungry, he should have planned better. He did not “manage” his hunger very well, not to mention keeping his vow to the Lord. But it did not end there. He caused two other innocent people to unknowingly sin as well.
Remember I’m trying to make a point about “managing”.
Let’s look at Jonah and the big fish:
Jonah 2: 1-11 1 Now Adonai prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 2 Then Jonah prayed to Adonai his God from the belly of the fish, 3 saying: “From my distress I cried to Adonai and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I cried for help and you heard my voice. 4 For you hurled me from the deep into the heart of the seas, and currents swirled around me. All your waves and your breakers swept over me.”5 And I said, “I have been banished from before your eyes. Yet I will continue to look toward your holy Temple.”6 Waters surrounded me up to my soul. The deep sea engulfed me— reeds clung to my head. 7 To the bottoms of the mountains I went down. The earth with her bars was around me, forever! Yet You brought my life up from the Pit, Adonai my God. 8 As my soul was fading from me, I remembered Adonai and my prayer came to You, toward Your holy Temple. 9 Those who watch worthless empty things forsake their mercy. 10 But I, with a voice of thanks will sacrifice to you. What I vowed, I will pay. Salvation is from Adonai.” 11 Then Adonai spoke to the fish and it vomited Jonah onto the dry land.
By the way, I'm sure you already knew this but a common misconception is that the big fish is a whale. The Bible does not say that so stop calling it a whale, please!
The Lord gave Jonah an assignment for which he was responsible for. He did not want to go to Nineveh for his own reasons. Then all of this happened before he came to his senses. Could we avoid some of the things we go through if we just listen to the Lord the first time? We are the responsible ones when it comes to us alone. This brings up my point….. if we are one of the twenty five percent where the message of salvation fell on good soil and we are yielding a crop, then we ultimately must "manage" our walk with the Lord.
The Dexcom analogy I talked about earlier is like that of the walk of a Believer. Once we have been given the information, then we are responsible for managing our walk with the Lord. If we have made a decision to follow Him then it’s up to us what we do individually and corporately to manage our walk.
I’ll end with this quote: You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. CS Lewis.
Before the Dexcom, I would have a sweet treat or whatever I wanted to eat in the middle of the day thinking that it would not affect my blood because it's the middle of the day. Little did I know, it did affect it and not for good!
Proverbs 14:12 says: there is a way that seems right to a man, but it's end is the way to death. I am a living witness of this Scripture! Thank God for heavenly wisdom and knowledge!
Thank you Father that we are able to manage our walk with you. Thank you that we grow in wisdom and statue everyday and that we gain in favor with God and man. Give us the ability and strength in You to make Godly decisions when it comes to our lives in every area especially our health. We love you!
Blessings in Yeshua!
Joyce
Please take a look at our other blogs on the website. We pray they minister to you wherever you are. Take a look at the Spring Feasts and the Fall Feasts of the Lord. It is my desire that some of the past Blog Teachings minister to you. That's why I write them. Whatever you do, be blessed.
Scripture is quoted from ESV version.