Devotion: Two Bible Cures

Two Bible Cures
by Marsha Iddings

Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Ephesians 5:18-20 ... be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

I have been impressed by two Bible cures I've learned, one from my personal devotions and the other from a sermon preached in church.

Bible Cure #1: The cure for self-righteousness is to know ourselves rightly. The publican knew he was nothing but a sinner that needed God's grace and mercy. The key to knowing ourselves rightly is to compare ourselves not with other people, but with God's law. Then we will see that we come up short in need of God's mercy and grace and we will fall before Him in humility asking for His mercy to save us.

Bible Cure #2: The cure for non-medical depression for the Christian is being thankful always for all things to God, and using music to praise God. God will be pleased and your sacrifice of thanksgiving will lift your spirits.

I see a balance here. On one hand, we are to know that in us there is nothing good (compared to God's standard of goodness) and we can not be saved from God's wrath apart from God's mercy and grace. But on the other hand, we are not to spend all our time in self-flogging and depression, but we are to be thankful for all things and praising God with music and spiritual songs for the mercy and grace He has bestowed on us. These are two sides of the same coin.

Have you experienced Bible Cure #1? It is the most important cure there is. Cure #2 doesn't really mean anything unless you have cure #1.