| When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" Ps 56:3-4 As Christian doctors, under God, we need to:
- Care for the underserved;
- Reduce health care costs so that more men and women in our country can find jobs, avoid personal bankruptcy and care for their families;
- Provide for our own families;
- Avoid personal greed;
- Protect the lives and health of our elderly, disabled and unborn;
- Protect the rights of doctors to follow their moral conscience;
- Avoid throwing our country into another severe economic crisis due to indebtedness that would make it hard for many to care for their families;
- Use our skills and our platform to bring our patients and colleagues to Christ.
As our country is caught up in a swirling political debate over health care reform, it is not at all clear how to reach all of these goals. The process often seems chaotic and self serving. In such a time as this, Christian doctors need to focus on three levels of responsibility that will honor God. - Become involved, as God leads, in the debate and the process, such that God's word through us changes systems toward His best plan.
- Examine our own personal motives and actions. For what reasons are we seeking which goals? Are our hearts pure and God-led in these goals? Do we need to change our actions so that the principles above will be carried out in our personal practices, no matter what is determined politically?
- Trust God. We should not assume that a fallen world would spin in our direction or make God's plan the plan that wins the political debate. As Oswald Chambers put it so well:
"There is a gap and wildness in things and if God does not step in and adjust it, there is no hope; but God has stepped in by the Redemption, and our part is to trust Him. Either the pessimists are right and we are autumn leaves driven by the blast of some ultimate, mindless power; or else the way out is by the Redemption of Jesus Christ." Our hope is not in a political system that accomplishes what we think God wants, though we should work to make it so. Our hope is in the work of Christ on the Cross, a work that redeems all broken systems and all broken people and helps usher in a Kingdom where we all get it right. Dear God,
So many people are helped by our care, and others are not. Help me fulfill my responsibilities personally to care for those in need. Give me wisdom as I speak into the healthcare debate. Then, whatever comes let me trust in you. Amen Click here and sign up to receive our weekly devotions or you can follow them at http://cmdadevotional.blogspot.com/. |
No comments:
Post a Comment