MOIRAJO
  • Barry Manilow & Mother T
    • Post 1 "I Write the Songs"
    • Post 2 "I Am Your Child"
    • Post 3 "Life Will Go On"
    • Post 4 "Sweet Life"
    • Post 5 "Can't Take My Eyes off of You"
    • Post 6 "As Sure As I'm Standing Here"
    • Post 7 "All the Time"
    • Post 8 "Mandy"
    • Post 9 "Here Comes the Night"
    • Post 10 "Lay Me Down"
    • Post 11 "It's A Miracle"
    • Post 12 "Sunrise"
    • Post 13 "Looks Like We Made It"
    • Post 14 "Daybreak"
    • Post 15 "Where Do I Go From Here?"
    • Post 16 "Somewhere Down the Road"
    • Post 17 "It's a Long Way Up"
    • Post 18 "Ay Amor"
    • Post 19 "Copacabana (At the Copa) Remix"
    • Post 20 "New York City Rhythm"
    • Post 21 "If I Can Dream"
    • Post 22 "Memory"
    • Post 23 "You Begin Again"
    • Post 24 "If We Only Have Love"
    • Post 25: "Put Your Dreams Away"
    • Post 26 "Good-bye My Love"
    • Post 27 "Please Don't Be Scared"
    • Post 28 "Keep Each Other Warm"
    • Post 29 "Ready To Take a Chance Again"
    • Post 30 "The Stars in the Night"
    • Post 31 "We Can Be Kind"
    • Post 32 "Look to the Rainbow"
    • Post 33 "Life Will Go On"
    • Post 34 "God Bless the Other 99"
    • Post 35 "Not What You See"
    • Post 36 "Welcome Home"
    • Post 37 "Everything's Gonna Be All Right"
    • Post 38 "Do Like I Do"
    • Post 39 "Brooklyn Blues"
    • Post 40 "Old Songs"
    • Post 41 "Could It Be Magic?"
    • Post 42 "I Made It Through The Rain"
    • Post 43 "Paradise Cafe"
    • Post 44 "Beautiful Music"
    • Post 45: "Harmony"
    • Post 46 "One Voice"
    • Post 47 "Appendices" Let Freedom Ring" >
      • Postlude "Even Now" : Seeing Barry at Barclays After 37 Years"
  • Blog: E-Lifts
  • Weekly Message
  • Sermon Podcasts
  • Links
  • Contact

Be Vaccinated with Love

11/7/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture





​"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" ( Romans 12:22)

LISTEN:  The Sidewalk Prophets, "You Love Me Anyway"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8BBCYFAYRI


Last week we finally got our flu vaccinations.  In my lifetime, the flu went from being the annual week-in-bed sipping tea, theraflu or ginger ale to a now distant memory.  While many still suffer and even die from the flue, it isn't the dreaded reoccurring illness it once was.  Millions are vaccinated each year from diseases that used to run rampant -- polio, smallpox, measles, diptheria, pertussis, rabies, tetanus  -- among others.  These diseases that have been either eradicated, contained, or made manageable due to vaccinations.  Smallpox alone was responsible for 300-500 million deaths in the 20th century.    It was declared eradicated in 1979 due to widespread vaccination.

It is interesting how vaccinations work.  Vaccines contain a dead, or weakened part of the germ, which stimulates our immune systems to produce antibodies -- special agents (so to speak) -- that are able to recognize and fight off the illness if it tries to sneak its way into our bodies. So disease is turned against itself in the battle for health.

Wouldn't it be amazing if we could develop vaccinations against some of the most persistent and deadly plagues of humanity?  How about a greed vaccine?  A hate/prejudice vaccine? Gun violence? As we're about to enter the materialistic season Christmas has become, wouldn't it be nice for everyone to get a anti-consumerist shot?  Churches can inoculate its flocks against gossip and judging others.  Corporations and government should get their annual inoculation against  lying and stealing.  Wouldn't it be cool to have oral vaccines we can drop in our morning coffee, juice or tea -- against impatience, laziness, meanness?   If we fill a wave of unfaithfulness, stubbornness or closed-mindedness,  coming on, we could whip out the needed anti venom dose.  Imagine the lives that could be saved --- 241 million from war/effects of war in 20th century alone -- or kept from harm.

Because of the love of God in Jesus, we have been given spiritual vaccines. We are reminded in Romans 5:5 "...God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."  Our spiritual anti-bodies work differently.  We are responsible to take booster doses throughout the day in response to what we face.  We are called to prayer and self-examination, scripture, music, worship, service as means to keep ourselves spiritually healthy.  When someone challenges us, we are given a choice to get ill spiritually (by complaining, gossiping, negative thinking) or to allow the hurt to create a auto-immune response of love, forgiveness or charity. Like the flue vaccine, which needs to be repeated yearly because of mutations in the germs, so we daily need our vaccines. We daily face troubles and revisit problems that keep changing!  Slowly our resolve is strengthened and our spiritual eyes opened. We find ourselves facing issues with more patience and we turn to God more quickly. So used right, spiritual vaccines work -- subtly, powerfully, profoundly.  Given the level of greed and sin in the world, it's a wonder life is still on earth.  You know what --that's only because of those who consistently take their spiritual vaccines -- and can work to bring good and healing into the world as a result. Have you taken your vaccine today?


PRAY:  "God, inoculate me by your Word and Spirit against all that would pull me away from you."

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Moirajo is a minister, social worker, wife, mother, writer and animal lover. That's just for starters. Join the story, there's so much we can share together! 

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    Categories

    All

    Bible,  Living life on life's terms, spirituality

    RSS Feed

© Moira Ahearne 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.