No Commandment Greater

January 9, 2017

Day 9:  Baby Blue Miracle:
"I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.  Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!" —Psalm 116-1-2

Today's story was about a baby that Dr. Anderson had saved, only through the grace of God.  He personally didn't know what to do to help the child who had choked and stopped breathing.  He couldn't see or feel anything in the child's throat, even with a laryngoscope.  The only thing he could do was pray. "God, please help me save this baby."  Instantly he felt "God's presence, and it gave [him] confidence beyond [his] training."  He asked the nurse to prepare a tracheotomy tray, but then sensed God saying, "You won't need it."  When he looked back into the baby's throat, he saw something bobbing back and forth.  The laryngoscope had dislodged a small piece of plastic with a notch in it—a clip used to tie a bread bag.  He reached in and grabbed it out and the baby let out a quick breath and started crying.  He realized afterward how little control he really had over the fate of the child.  "But God did."  God's hand guided him throughout the entire event.

Anderson ends with the prescription: "Pray for a miracle today, and give credit to God, the miracle maker," and the prayer: "God, give me ears to hear your voice today. Speak your instruction to me as I make decisions and interact with others.  Thank you for guiding me every step of the way."

If I am going to be honest (and I am), as I read the prescription I thought, I don't need a miracle.  I just want to feel God's presence.  I also didn't really want to pray to hear God's voice or instruction.  I just want to feel His love.  I do feel thankful for guidance, but I don't want to feel pushed to act in a particular way.  I want to be genuine and sincere, not guilted into anything.  Guilt is a strong motivator for me, but I do not believe it is a healthy motivator.  It leads to resentment.  I did many things when I was involved in the church because I knew I would feel guilty if I didn't; not because it was the right thing to do, or because it was genuinely what I desired to do.  I felt that if I did not act on what I believed God or the Holy Spirit was leading me to do, then the Holy Spirit would leave me and I would be lost.  There are scriptures that warn against quenching or grieving the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 4:30 and 1 Thessalonians 5:19).  It was something that I feared I might do, even accidentally.  I often acted out of fear and to simply avoid guilt; there was no joy in that, except for the relief that I would not have to feel guilt or shame.  What I really want to have as my motivation is love and gratefulness.  So if I am to pray for anything today, it is that I will love God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind. And that I will love my neighbors as myself" (Luke 10:27).  As Jesus has said, "there is no commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:28-31).