Got Mildew?

Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “When you arrive in Canaan, the land I am giving you as your own possession, I may contaminate some of the houses in your land with mildew. [Leviticus 14.33-34] 

To say God randomly does something opens Pandora's Box of doubt about God and the entire Bible.

This is how it begins... Our educated minds immediately conclude that mildew is an "uh-oh" associated with moisture and therefore reasonably conclude that the solution is to simply get rid of the water and mildew will take care of itself. There is no need to repent - just stop the water.

Next problem?

We could go on to address financial uh-oh's, uh-oh's from natural disasters, accidents, theft, or loss, health uh-oh's, and just uh-oh's in general. Down the list, man's knowledge and ingenuity have formed or formulated solutions that don't require repentance - just get the solution! And yet, every "uh-oh" in this list (including mildew) is detailed as a curse for disobedience found in Deuteronomy 28.15-68.

In a strategic move to counteract frivolous religious nonsense, I want to open a different Pandora's Box to elicit doubts about the man-made solutions today we so quickly turn to to remediate the "oh-oh's" detailed above...

What if our man-made solutions are nothing but distractions to keep us from repenting? What if our man-made solutions that keep us from repenting therefore prevent us from witnessing the miraculous, unexplainable, irrefutable power of God? What if we attempt then to religiously justify that our man-made solutions are from God ignoring that fact that Godless people claim these same solutions are purely the evolution of man's intellect? What if we just stop thinking or talking about this because it raises questions we have no answers for except that we are in need of repentance? What if, because we have man-made solutions for nearly everything, we see no need for God and certainly no need for Jesus (except to maintain some religious facade)? 

What if our man-made solutions are not the result of Godly advancement (evolution) of man's ingenuity, but are instead idols that infuriate God and enrage His jealousy? 

What if our man-made solutions merely shape-shift curses from one form into another - let's say into expensive monthly payments or up-front costs? What if our man-made solutions effectively, one interest payment, one premium payment, one prescription or procedure payment, or one gadget purchase at a time, make money our god (that insatiably consumes all our time and efforts)?

What if?

What if our wonderful man-made solutions (our own ways) are nothing but suicidal extended curses upon our disobedience? Who would do such a thing?

There were man-made solutions in Jesus' day. If God indeed uses man-made solutions to solve man's problems (as misguidedly suggested by some), why did Jesus instead miraculously, unexplainably, and irrefutably solve those problems without aid from man's solutions? Why the distinction? Why did Jesus use only God's ways (miracles) instead of incorporating man's ways (calling it miracles)? Why did Jesus tell at least one person, "Go, and sin no more!"?

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” [Mark 1.15]

The Good News is:

It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ [Luke 24.47]

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” [Galatians 3.13]

Repentance and faith are required to enjoy the benefit(s) of Jesus' rescue - Redemption - the Good News. Whether it is mildew or sickness or lack, these curses indicate the need for repentance and faith in Christ. Sounds silly, right? Not if you read the Bible for what it actually says (instead of what religion has made it out to be!).

Jesus resorted to the miraculous, unexplainable and irrefutable power of God to prove that man-made solutions are not the answer. Jesus presented Himself as the solution to every progressive curse of death upon man. Jesus presented Himself instead of man-made ways:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

To give up your own way is to repent. To take up your cross is to believe the Good News that is, Jesus. To follow Jesus is to repent and believe God's solution for the curses upon man and the world instead of man's solution.

Got mildew? Got need? Got tragedy? Got sickness? Got trouble?

Follow Jesus (repent and believe)! Intentionally give up on man-made solutions. Intentionally take up the way of faith (even to the point of death on your cross) in following Jesus, walking in the pure, miraculous power of God.

Father, Your Word is clear: curses point us to repentance, not man-made solutions. It is overwhelming to consider how far away from this truth the modern Church has wandered. Oh, we know "Jesus is the answer," but we refuse to acknowledge the question, "why are we experiencing curses?" Consequently, we faithfully 'worship' man-made idols (debt, insurance, medicine and technology to name a few) with our time and energy in flagrant defiance of Your jealous demand to trust You alone. Forgive us! But find our repentance with feet and hands to intentionally give up our ways of idolatry and intentionally take up the way of faith in Jesus alone - our cross, following Him in miraculous, unexplainable, and irrefutable demonstration of Your power! So be it.