{"id":766,"date":"2009-05-17T04:01:46","date_gmt":"2009-05-17T04:01:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2009\/05\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-51.html"},"modified":"2009-05-17T04:01:46","modified_gmt":"2009-05-17T04:01:46","slug":"sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-51","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2009\/05\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-51.html","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sickness and Sin<\/h3>\n

READ Psalm 38:1-22<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Because of your anger, my whole body is sick;
\nmy health is broken because of my sins.<\/p>\n

Psalm 38:3<\/a><\/p>\n

In Psalm 38, David makes a strong connection between his devastating physical illness and his sin. Apparently, he had sinned in some particularly egregious way. As a result, he became terribly sick, a sickness that David attributed to God\u2019s anger.
\nPsalm 38 reminds us that God is sovereign.\u00a0He can use\u00a0any means to help us become the people he has envisioned us to be. God can use physical disease, for example, as a way of disciplining us when we sin. When this happens, we must remember that God\u2019s ultimate purpose is redemptive, not vindictive. Psalm 38 provides an apt illustration of this truth. David\u2019s sickness led him away from sin and back to God. It impelled him to repent so that he might be restored.
\nYet we must avoid generalizing from David\u2019s experience in Psalm 38. Some Christians have claimed, on the basis of texts like this one, that all human disease comes as a result of sin. While it\u2019s true that disease finds its ultimate cause in the sin-induced brokenness of the world, it is not true that every instance of human sickness is the result of the sick person\u2019s sin. The Old Testament book of Job shows that the \u201csin = sickness\u201d equation falls short of God\u2019s sovereignty. Jesus reiterates this point in John 9 when he explains that a man\u2019s blindness is not the result of his sin or his parents\u2019 sin (v. 3). When we are caring for those who are sick, including ourselves, we must never assume that sickness is God\u2019s punishment for their sin.
\nNo matter the ultimate cause of our sickness, God will use our suffering to bring us into closer fellowship with him. As we turn our hearts to the Lord in our neediness, we sense God\u2019s presence. The God who is Emmanuel, God-with-us, does not abandon us. In fact, he often makes himself known to us more profoundly through our pain. Even as we hurt, we are reassured that his love will never let us go (Rom 8:18-39).
\nPRAYER<\/strong>: Dear Heavenly Father, you want the very best for us. You do not let us go in our rebellion but draw us back to yourself. Sometimes you can use physical illness for this purpose. I\u2019ve seen it in the lives of many, and I\u2019ve experienced this in my own life. Thank you, Lord, for your ability to work all things together for good in my life.
\nToday, Lord, I\u2019m thinking of friends who are experiencing physical illness. As you know, sometimes what they\u2019re going through can feel like punishment from you. Please help them to sort out the truth of this spiritual diagnosis. But, beyond this, help them to sense your presence in their suffering. Moreover, I ask you, Lord, to heal them. Restore what is wrong in their bodies and give them strength.
\nI pray in the name of Jesus, the Healer. Amen<\/em>.<\/p>\n

_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

<\/a>Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?\u00a0 <\/strong>
\nHere’s how . . . . <\/em><\/strong>
\nThis devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work <\/em>(www.thehighcalling.org<\/a>). You can read my Daily Reflections<\/a> there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox<\/a> each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
\nP.S. \u2013 An Invitation from Mark
\n<\/strong>
\nIf you would like to seek God\u2019s truth in the company of other believers, I would invite you to join us at Laity Lodge this summer. We have a fine array of retreats, all of which include the examination of biblical truth.
\nI would especially invite you to join Scotty Smith and me for the Laity Lodge Bible Study Retreat (July 30 \u2013 Aug 2). Scotty, one of America\u2019s leading pastors and biblical teachers, will be focusing on the closing chapters of Revelation. I\u2019ll look at biblical texts that help us see our whole lives as part of our \u201chigh calling\u201d to serve God. Scotty and I will be joined by top musicians Brian Moss and Lisa Pierre. This will be a fantastic retreat.
\nFor more information or to register, please check the Laity Lodge website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sickness and Sin READ Psalm 38:1-22 \u00a0Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins. Psalm 38:3 In Psalm 38, David makes a strong connection between his devastating physical illness and his sin. Apparently, he had sinned in some particularly egregious way. As a result, he became…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-766","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sunday-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\nSunday Inspiration from The High Calling - Mark D. 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Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/766","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=766"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/766\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=766"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=766"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=766"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}