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Chiropractors and Cardiologists Due to a sledding mishap in which I broke my tailbone (or maybe it was a few of those bicycle-racing wrecks – or perhaps it involved my motorcycle – or even some of those neighborhood football games), I have received chiropractic care for quite some time. Not long ago, when I was in Dr. Olson’s office, he asked me what was bothering me the most at that time. As is the case most of the time, my primary problem was stiffness in my neck. Knowing that I am a preacher, He responded with this question, “Doesn’t the Bible say something about those who are stiff-necked?” We both enjoyed a chuckle at the time but his comment was food for thought. Recently, in a couple of lessons, I’ve made reference to the time that Moses requested to see God’s glory (Ex. 33:18). While on the mount, God placed Moses in the cleft of a rock and covered him there with His hand (Ex. 33:31-33). God then passed by and made a proclamation regarding His wonderful attributes (Ex. 34:5-7). In response, “…Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped” (Ex. 34:9). But now, notice the words which Moses then spoke: “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance” (Ex. 34:9). Moses understood the fact that he was leading a stiff-necked, i.e. stubborn, people. After all, God had already revealed this fact to him – “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people” (Ex. 32:9). Therefore, when Moses was giving his final instructions to the generation that would enter into the promised land, he stated, “Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob…Know, therefore, that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn (“stiffnecked” – KJV) people”(Deut. 9:5-6). Clearly, these people had neck and heart issues. They were stubborn in their ways and their hearts were hardened to God’s word. Spiritually speaking, they were in severe need of chiropractors and cardiologists. At the close of Acts 6, we find that there were those who disputed with Stephen. “But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (Acts 6:10). However, men lied against Stephen saying, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God” (Acts 6:11). The high priest asked him, “Are these things so? (Acts 7:1). In response, Stephen gave an overall summary of Old Testament history. He pointed out that the Jewish nation – especially its leaders – had repeatedly hardened themselves against God and His word. They hardened their hearts and refused (and even resisted) the message of the prophets. Stephen concluded with these words, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it” (Acts 7:51-52). Obviously, those neck and heart problems were still present because “…they cast him out of the city and stoned him” (Acts 7:58). Spiritually, chiropractors and cardiologists were still desperately needed. When Paul was writing to the Christians at Corinth, he reflected upon the days of the exodus and the wilderness wandering (1 Cor. 10:1-5). He then stated, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did” (1 Cor. 10:6, emp. ad.). Similarly, Romans 15:4 states, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Indeed, we do have hope…if we humble ourselves and submit to God according to His word. Spiritually, we cannot afford to have stiff necks and hard hearts. I appreciate chiropractors who know how to make proper adjustments to the neck and back! And, I appreciate cardiologists who are experts in matters regarding the heart. Yet, spiritually speaking, if we want to make the proper adjustments in our lives and if we want to develop and maintain a proper heart, we must turn to God’s word and live according to it.
“Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love. The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Ps. 119:159-160). |