"Prescription for Life" (Part 1)

Not long ago my son Kyle and I were waiting at the pharmacy to pick up some new prescriptions the surgeon had prescribed for me. One of them was a relatively new drug and was not available in generic. The pharmacist explained that it would be significantly more expensive than the other two I was getting. He also went on to explain that often there are nonprescription forms of drugs that sometimes can be substituted, though that was not the case here. What he said began to spark a thought. He said in reference to the nonprescription substitutes, “They’re just like it, except…” I was very amused at how easy it was to say it was identical except for the exceptions.

This morning we will begin a little series that was born out of this experience. The devil would love to convince us that his way of life is just the same as God’s way, with “just a few exceptions!” First, read the words of David:

“Don't worry about the wicked. Don't envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like springtime flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” (Psalm 37:1-7 NLV).

It’s easy to imagine that life could be better, especially when we are faced with the problem of bad things happening to good people. There is an old humorous story often told with an excellent point. It seems a little boy went into a grocery store and asked the clerk for a box of Duz detergent. The clerk said, “What do you need the detergent for?” The little boy replied, “I want to wash my dog.” The clerk said, “Well, son, that Duz detergent is pretty strong for washing a little dog.” The little boy said, “But that’s what I want.” The clerk said, “Well, okay, if you’re sure. But you need to be careful when you wash your dog in it. That Duz detergent is very strong. It might kill him.” About a week later the little boy came back into the store and the clerk recognized him and asked, “Son, how’s your dog?” The little boy said, “He’s dead.” The clerk replied, “Oh, I’m sorry, but I told you that Duz detergent was awfully strong and that it might kill him.” The little boy shook his head and said, “I don’t think it was the Duz detergent that killed him. I think it was the rinse cycle that got him.”

There are a few practical things we ought to recognize in this first part of our study concerning the real prescription for joy in our lives:

1. First, bad things happen to us in life because the devil is a real, evil spiritual being who is out to get us. We all must be aware that the devil is real. He is evil. He is a spiritual being. He is powerful. And he is out to get us! “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around...looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith...” (I Peter 5:8-9).

2. Second, bad things happen to us in life also because we live in an imperfect world where imperfect things happen all the time. Cars break down, our health goes bad, and money sometimes runs out. It just happens in life and to the best of people.

3. Third, we also experience bad things in life because we sin. This is something that most of us don’t like to face up to or recognize, but it’s true! “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap! We always reap what we sow! This is God’s ordained law in life.” (Galatians 6:7-8). If we sow good things, we will reap good things. If we sow bad things, we will reap bad things.