Being "Prepped!"

If you know me, you know that I have not been a stranger to the science of medicine. Besides the fact that I have undergone surgery 12 times, I have always loved the field of medicine! I was going to college to be a surgical technician before the Lord called me into full-time Christan service. This was to learn of the position in the Operating Room that assists the Surgeon in preparing the tools and tables they would use during the procedure, and delivering them to the doctor. The doctor would have his certain protocol to follow, and everything would have to be in the order HE wanted it to be. Nurses would also PREP the patient to get them ready for the doctor to be ABLE TO DO the procedure. As I was reading my Bible the other day, I read a verse in Ezra-7:10 that made me think about this- "For Ezra had PREPARED his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." Just as a patient has to be PREPARED, OR PREPPED, before the physician can perform the operation, so do WE have to PREPARE our HEARTS before the Lord, our GREAT PHYSICIAN, in order for HIM to do a work.

The first thing that has to be done to the patient is sterilization, or to be CLEANSED. They are scrubbed with Iodine type solution to cleanse the area that will be worked upon. Without doing so, infection is sure to set in. Every precaution is taken to keep this from happening. Sin is our heart's infection, and before the Lord can work in our hearts, they have to be cleansed. We have to be cleansed for salvation first of all. "....unto HIM that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood," Revelation 1:5. "That HE might sanctify and CLEANSE it with the washing of water by the word." Ephesians 5:26."And such were some of you; but ye are WASHED, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified..." I Corinthians 6:11. Only after we are cleansed for salvation can the Lord use us for His Work. But, as HIS children, we have to DAILY keep our hearts clean and prepared before the Lord. If we regard sin, or infection, in our hearts, the Lord cannot work. "If I regard iniquity in my HEART, the LORD will not hear me." Psalm 66:18. We need to make sure to keep short accounts of sin. We need to ask God for forgiveness as soon as HE smites our hearts after we have sinned. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sin, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to CLEANSE us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:8&9. Once we are clean before the Lord, our hearts will be PREPARED for the work to begin.

The patient is also PREPARED and put into constraints. This is to protect from further harm if the patient moves or wakes during surgery, BEFORE the doctor wants them to. If they move their arms or legs during the work, they will further hurt themselves and slow the work that is being done. We need to do the same to ourselves! We need not to move before the Lord wants us to in HIS PLAN for us! He will not hold us down out of force, but HE wants US to "Be STILL and know that I AM GOD..." Psalm 46:10. Paul said in II Corinthians 5:13-15 "For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God; or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of God CONSTRAINETH us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; And that He died for all, that they which live SHOULD NOT HENCEFORTH LIVE UNTO THEMSELVES, BUT UNTO HIM which died for them ,and rose again". Paul declared that it was for the love of Christ that they withheld , or kept themselves from doing what they would want to do, or say to others. It was simply to allow the Lord to lead and work. If we get ahead of the LORD'S PLANS for us, we can ruin what HE is working to accomplish in our lives for HIS GLORY!

Lastly, the patient is put to sleep with anesthesia. The patient in essence is resting while the doctor works. In order to "be still and know" that HE IS GOD, we have to PREPARE to REST IN HIM while HE WORKS! "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST." Matthew 11:28. "REST in the LORD and wait patiently for HIM.." Psalm 37:10. The change in us can only come as the Great PHYSICIAN is allowed to do HIS WORK in us.

Are you "prepped" today? Have you been cleansed, constrained and comforted in His REST while He is working in your life? May we ever keep ourselves PREPARED for HIS WORK!  "....PREPARE YOUR HEARTS unto the LORD, and serve HIM ONLY..." I Samuel 7:3.