Wednesday, July 27, 2011
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This body that you and I move around in is pretty amazing. One of the amazing qualities it has might be called "compensation." In other words, when one part breaks down, it seems as if another part gets stronger in order to help make up the difference.
For example, if you tragically lose the sight in one eye, the other one gets stronger. If you lose your sight totally, you get a sharpened sense of hearing; in a sense, to compensate. I've always marveled at what happens when a person loses a kidney for example. Suddenly you have half of what you need to stay alive. You had two; now you got one, but not for long. Somehow, that diminished capacity is taken care of because the remaining kidney enlarges its capacity and starts to do the work of two kidneys. Now it couldn't do that until it had to. But when it had to, it could.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Kidney Miracle."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Psalm 68. I'm going to begin reading at verse 4: "Sing to God. Sing praises to His name. Extol him who rides on the clouds—His name is the Lord—and rejoice before Him." Now, listen to this description of Him. "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling."
That's a great Psalm to the awesome majesty and greatness of God. But then it talks about His personal concern for two groups who have experienced great loss—kids who have lost their father, and women who have lost their husband. And it says God makes up the difference; He protects this now unprotected widow who's lost the protection of her husband. He protects the child who's lost a father. God makes up the difference. He does the kidney miracle—the miracle of enlargement!
The survivor's capacity and capability are enlarged to meet the challenge. All of a sudden things they were not able to handle alone, they can because of the "God difference." God, in a sense, is the God of the gaps that are left by human death or human failure, and that's a wonderful encouragement if you're a single parent or you're without a mate. You've lost a parent or someone that you've leaned on heavily. God wants to enlarge your strength to compensate.
You say, "Well, I never was that strong before. I couldn't handle it alone." Well, see, that's because you didn't need to be that strong. Now you do, and you will be if you will draw on His resources. God not only enlarges people, but He enlarges resources.
Remember the Jews had shoes that didn't wear out for 40 years? They didn't have any place to get shoes, so God just simply made limited resources go a long way. Maybe there's a gaping hole in your life right now. You say, "Well, I'm without the protection I need. I've lost it, or I've lost the provision I need, or the wisdom I need, or the energy I need."
Don't limit God. He will send you what you need to get through this. Maybe He used to send it through someone else; but now He'll send it directly to you instead of through someone else. So, draw deeply on His strength. Let Him empower you to do what you couldn't do before, because well, you didn't have to.
He wants to do that kidney thing. He wants to work in you His miracle of enlargement.