Daily Thoughts from Deuteronomy 13:2-6: Seduce (Hadicha)

15. Seduce (Hadicha)

If a prophet or someone who gets messages while dreaming arises among you and he gives you a sign or wonder, and the sign or wonder comes about as he predicted when he said, ‘Let’s follow other gods, which you have not known; and let us serve them,’ you are not to listen to what that prophet or dreamer says. For Yahweh your God is testing you, in order to find out whether you really do love Yahweh your God with all your heart and being.  You are to follow Yahweh your God, fear him, obey his mitzvot, listen to what he says, serve him and cling to him; and that prophet or dreamer is to be put to death; because he urged rebellion against Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from a life of slavery; in order to seduce you away from the path Yahweh your God ordered you to follow. This is how you are to rid your community of this wickedness.

(D’varim 13:2-6)

He felt sick.  Sick to his stomach.  He was dry heaving.  This was not the way to wake to a new morning.  And he was alone.  For that he was grateful.

“Father, please help me.  Drive this illness far from me.”

Nothing.

There lay his scroll but he could not bring himself to read.  He just wanted to curl up and get comfortable and stop this nausea.

Why had this happened?  Was it because he was fasting?  Was the water bad?  Had satan done something to his water or to him while he was sleeping?  He needed water so despite wanting to lay down he got a fire going and used his fire pot to boil some water, just in case something was wrong with it.

He was not feverish, nor did he feel achiness in any other part of his body.  He lay as still as he could in a curled up position that seemed to relieve the pain somewhat.  He must have slept for a short time.  He woke again to the discomfort, but it didn’t seem as acute as before.

What was he supposed to be learning in this moment?  The Father did not choose to heal him immediately, so there must be some other purpose for this.  Of course, it might simply be the natural consequence of some part of his being out here in the yeshimon.  But you would think talking to satan would be enough to make one sick to one’s stomach.

Whatever it was, it was a trial.  No one enjoyed such discomfort and it was made all the worse by the fact that you didn’t know how long it was going to last or if you would ever be rid of it.  He thought of many of his neighbors who had prolonged and chronic illnesses through which they suffered without relief.  He hurt for them.

Yahweh had promised in D’varim that none of the diseases that afflicted the Canaanites would afflict Yisrael if she obeyed Yahweh’s covenant.  Now, as he was preparing in the wilderness to enter the promised land with the message of the kingdom, God was letting him know that healing was coming with him.  For those who looked for the kingdom, the powers of the kingdom would be revealed.

But for now the messenger was not experiencing such power, except the power of the Spirit within him to receive this with thankfulness from his Father’s hand.  Should he ask again?  His Father never grew angry over his repetition of requests, and He hadn’t definitely said “No” at this point.

“Father, if you are pleased would you remove this illness from me?”

He knew that it would be helpful if he were open to however the Father wanted to respond to him, so he sat quietly and remained open for a response.  An image came to his mind of a board his father had given him to plane.  He was shaping it with each pass of the plane until it was even.  He was taking great care to shape it just right and when he was finished it looked smooth and perfect.

Father’s answer was clear.  For now he would bear this illness and see it as part of his Father’s perfect care for him as He gently shaped him and taught him dependence on Him and trust in His plan.  And to his surprise it seemed the discomfort abated some.

As evening wore on he was grateful that satan had not shown his face all day.  He was able to spend some time in D’varim and then went to sleep with a comforted spirit if not a fully comforted body.