The Ice Bucket Challenge

September 5, 2014

Who on this planet has not heard or seen the in-your-face ice bucket challenges to raise money for ALS?

I know my friends, cousins, and co-workers from almost every state in the United States, along with many celebrities’, have been caught up in bringing this most debilitating disease to light.

I have lost a friend to ALS and would not wish this disease on anyone. It rapidly takes away all of your ability to function, and eventually you can no longer swallow or breathe.

But, what about all the other diseases that are in the world? More and more come on the horizon every day.

Exodus:15:26
…and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”

So where is God? I grew up hearing that we were a nation under God, and we took that for granted. The rest of the world seemed to understand that we were God’s own people too.

That seems to have changed now. More and more people from the United States are questioning the validity of the word of God and even whether there is a God. The further we remove ourselves from God, the less we can expect Him to heal us, if we believe the words of His Holy Book.

I believe this all started a long time ago in our nation — this sliding from being God’s nation — but it was gradual, and few paid attention. Oh, some complained that people were not as diligent about seeking God, but the majority just went along with the flow. We allowed more and more practices that did not honor G

od to creep into our churches and even become a part of our worship. Some things that were outlawed at the beginning of our nation are now considered Christian.

Over time, no day was set aside in our nation to worship God. More and more businesses began to be open seven days a week. More and more people became wrapped up in secular pursuits, church attendance fell, and people lost sight of eternity. Along with the lack of compulsion to attend church, there has been a moral slide and destruction of the family bonding that holds a society strong.

When people abandon belief and faith in God, they have no alternative except to look for cures themselves.

Deuteronomy:7:15
And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt, which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you.

2 Chronicles:7:14
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

We were once a people who called upon the name of God, and the entire world knew He blessed us. Do you want an end to ALS? Cancer? SIDS? You name it!, God has promised that a nation of people who humble themselves and seek His face will see healing – both physical and spiritual.

The day will come when peace, prosperity, and healing of all the nations of the world will happen in spite of us. Do you want to be on the winning side or on the side that has to be brought low to learn to accept God? He promises rich rewards for those who turn to Him with their whole heart, now, while He is near.

Join all of us in United Church of God who pray “Thy kingdom come” when Christ will put an end to all the unsolvable problems of our world and all of these diseases will be no more! That is the real “race for the cure”.

~Kathy Sanny