By Erica Albertin, interim athletic director and head athletic trainer
Scripture: Numbers 21:4-9 (NRSV)
I loved riding my bike as a kid. I remember being so excited to ride on the road to Jordan’s house. We packed up, put on our helmets and off we went. I looked back at my parents to make sure they could keep up. It was then that my front tire was lodged between the pavement and the gravel, causing me to crash on the road. At that moment, I was not thinking about anything other than the pain. My jaw was broken and I needed stitches. I remember thinking, “this is miserable!”
One of the earliest stories of healing is found in Exodus. The people were not pleased to be on their journey with Moses. They had forgotten about the great works of God to have freedom from slavery. They were miserable.
The great news is that God heals. Even when things seem incredibly miserable, God is the great physician. God brings healing to our lives. After crashing my bike, I needed to go to the hospital for help. Our challenge as we are feeling miserable is to go to God, and be healed.
Scripture: Numbers 21:4-9 (NRSV)
From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” 6Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.