In the local news this week they were reminding people not to use the hospital emergency room as a doctor for a non-emergency. (Who would, with the price of using an ER, but undoubtedly people do.) This news story got me to thinking. Emergency rooms are for a specific purpose – emergencies. Often people turn to God’s Word in times of crisis or trauma. Which we can and should do. But do we turn to God’s Word as a spiritual ER? Do we, do you, run to His word only in an emergency?

We’re told we should go to the doctor regularly, but we’re so busy we put off those checkups! We’re also told we should spend time in God’s Word each day. But once again, we’re so busy we put it off. In this hectic American culture we live in, it is a challenge to find time for everything we have to do, want do, and are told we should do. Between work, family, kids homework, sports, grocery shopping, and household chores, we (collectively) tend to feel that the random Sunday morning jaunt to God’s house is all we can add to our schedule. Reading our Bible every morning? Who has even 5 minutes? “I’ll make sure and read my Bible tomorrow …this weekend …I’ll start again in January,” we say.

The problem with turning to God’s Word only in our traumas and tragedies is that we never get to know Him. Just like the anonymous ER nurse or doctor, we need Him in the moment, call His name to come fix the IV, and when we’re well, then we’re off. Back to normal life and we have no relationship with Him.

A daily time of reading or listening to God’s Word is crucial for our long term spiritual health and our ability to cope with life. That’s how we get to know Father God and develop that relationship with Him. When we come to know the Father, the Great Physician, it’s like having a personal relationship with our doctor. Only better!

We can give him a call in a moment of need and he’ll be there to help. He knows the diagnosis and the correct cure. We can ask Him for advice. He has all the wisdom of the universe. He knows our history, what has plagued us in the past and how that affects our current situation. He treats us tenderly. He knows our heartbeat and our very breath. He can recommend the best treatment for our specific condition.

Our role in the treatment is the same as with a doctor. We must do two things.

First, we must come to Him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mathew 11:28) We do this through His Word. As we come to those pages each day we are learning from Him and listening to Him and receiving healing.

Second, we must follow His orders, including getting the prescription filled and following His advice. Spiritually that means simply obeying what we learn from Him in the Bible.

Let’s get our spiritual health in order by coming to God’s Word each day to have a relationship with Him. Let’s quit using God’s Word only as a spiritual ER when we are in crisis.