Continual Time for Food and Medicine

When we first brought our son, who had been born prematurely, home from the hospital he was three months old and weighed only 4 lbs. 8 oz. He arrived at our home with oxygen tanks, heart and breathing monitors, a feeding tube and a series of medications. After a little more than three months in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, we were totally thrilled to finally have our baby home.

Because of his limited breathing ability and other medical needs connected to his early arrival into this world, Jon required a strict feeding and medication schedule. Although he would voraciously attempt to drink the milk offered him, his lung power gave out after only a minute or two. For this reason he was fed by both mouth and tube every few hours. His medications were also to be given at very specific times. In order to keep up with this rigid schedule, we set multiple alarm clocks to alert us, both day and night, to provide the food and medicine that our tiny son required to survive. By receiving this regimented, constant care he not only survived but had thrived and gained more than 2 pounds by his eight week checkup.

Jesus Christ, the Word that became flesh, is the bread of life. “Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).” (John 6:35 AMP)  The Word of God also compares a joyful heart to medicine. “A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22 AMP) Like my young son we also have a great need for the bread of life and the medicine of joy in our lives. Do we act with the same diligence with which my husband and I set alarm clocks to alert us to Jon’s needs? What have we set in place in our lives to ensure that we never go too long between feedings?

Spending time reading in Psalms triggered a deep desire to live as King David’s example encourages us. “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1 AMP) Looking in the New Testament we find the apostle Paul has a similar sentiment. “Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]; Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 AMP) “Continually” “at all times” and “unceasing” are pretty definite and challenging descriptors. Making that work in our lives is not always easy.

So I began an experiment. I set a one hour snooze alarm on my cell phone. Instead of turning the alarm off when I awake in the morning, I press the snooze button. Then one hour later the alarm will go off again. It is a reminder to take just a moment to praise and thank the Lord for who He is and what He has done in my life. Taking a moment to consider the greatness of the character of God, is an awesome encouragement. Remembering what He has done in my life brings courage for the future. Praising Him for who He is and thanking Him for what He has done both nourishes and heals a hungry, sick soul.

Daily life is full of challenges. There are demands on every one of us. As we give out for the Lord we find ourselves needing to be refueled and restored. A praising, thankful heart is the best way to look not at what is being taken from us by the needs of others, but all that is being given to us by our gracious, heavenly father. Psalm 136 repeats the same line 26 times. For every thought that the psalmist pours his heart out to God he repeats, “…for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.” We can be continually nourished and strengthened simply by remembering that one line. But there is so much more to praise and thank Him for.

If you like, join the experiment and actually set an alarm to remind yourself to praise and thank the Lord. Daily remind yourself to eat of God’s word and take the medicine of joy. You will not only survive, but you will thrive.

(I do turn the alarm off at that last hour before bedtime. I have also accidentally hit the dismiss button and found myself sad and having missed an opportunity to praise.)