journey onWord with us

I have suffered for 3 months with intense pain in my right heel.  My family and friends had diagnosed me and offered all manner of suggestions for my healing.  I tried everything, in every which way, but to no avail. Finally, in desperation I decided to seek the help of a professional … I actually went to a doctor.  As I suspected, he said I have Plantar Fasciitis – an inflammation in the bottom of my foot.  I asked him the cause, fearing this would be the end to all my cute heels, but the doctor simply replied, “Bad luck!”

Oh goodie, lucky me!  “But,” he said, “all is not lost.  This is a very ‘heel-able’ (get it??) condition. If you do exactly what I tell you to do in the exact order, the pain will go away.” I left with a 3-point strategy, in a specific and strict order, for daily treatment.  Guess what?  In just under a week, the pain level has gone from an 8 to a 1.

I could not help but be struck by the fact that if we do things in the right way, as explained and instructed by one who knows what they are talking about, good things happen. Let’s look further at this principle as it relates to the One who is All-Knowing.

In the book of Luke, chapter four, Christ is in an epic battle. He had been led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. For forty days He was tempted by the biggest heel of all, the Devil. Isn’t it interesting that the Son of God did what we all need to do? He resisted Satan with Scripture. Three times in this passage, we find specific temptations, and three times they are defended with the most powerful weapon ever provided.  Look at the answers Jesus gave, originally penned in the book of Deuteronomy.

And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”
Luke 4:4

And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
Luke 4:8

And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Luke 4:12

My point is simply that if we are ever going to have success in the daily battles of life, Scripture must be the priority.  My husband and I have never met anyone exceptionally strong in faith who was not a disciplined reader of Scripture. My challenge as we all begin a new week is this: Are you getting through the daily challenges of life the way I was treating my heel pain? I had no strategy, just homemade remedies and a lot of hope.  The moment the one who knew the right answers gave me the steps to take, my pain began to subside.

The One who knows has given us The Word – the right steps in the right way.