Ditching the Crutches

Years ago I tore my ACL and was on crutches for awhile during the rehabilitation process.  While I would have preferred not to have needed crutches to walk around, they helped me move more easily in the early days of recovery.  Right after surgery the medical team wanted me up and bending my leg, embracing the pain to be back on my feet and working towards full health.  My physical therapist gave me exercises to strengthen my body, and the plan was to rely on the crutches less and less.  After a couple of weeks, the crutches were stored in the garage where they have remained unused to this day--and hopefully will not be needed again.

The subject of crutches came up for me while studying this week.  After gathering the prophets of Baal and the people of Israel together to Mt. Carmel, the prophet of God Elijah addressed everyone in 1 Kings 18:21:  "And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word."  I looked up the Hebrew words translated "falter between two opinions" and it is to "limp between two crutches."  It was evident the loyalty and reliance of the people was split between the God of their fathers and Baal, an idol of Canaan.  The visual of a person limping on two crutches is compelling, for that is how some people relate to the almighty God.  They view Him as a means of support and help, and when the difficulty or pain has passed they put Him away.  In a time of need they will reach for Him again, just like I would those dusty crutches if I sprained my ankle or tore an ACL again.

This illustration begs the question:  don't we do God a grave dishonour to attempt to use Him as a crutch?  Crutches possess no power to heal our injuries, and their usefulness completely depends on our strength and dexterity.  It is entirely possible we have been like the children of Israel and faltered between two crutches, limping along trying to use God or anything else that will deliver us from pain or support us so we can arrive at our desired end.  God is not a crutch that we should lean on Him:  He is the God who saves, heals and guides us to walk with Jesus by faith, who raises us to new life.  Jesus healed the blind and lame; He opened the eyes of the blind, cleansed lepers and raised the dead!  Why should we be content to lean on Him when we are hurting but alternatively lean on idols or people, relying on our own faltering strength?

No one said a word after Elijah confronted the people for faltering between two opinions.  After the people saw God miraculously consume the offering Elijah offered with fire from heaven, 1 Kings 18:39 tells us, "Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"  Like a lame man who jumps to his feet and casts aside his crutches having been miraculously made well by Jesus, the children of Israel fell on their faces and acknowledged the LORD is God alone.  God's will is for us to be living sacrifices unto Him, and by God's grace we have been made holy and acceptable to God by the shed blood of Jesus.  Even if our bodies carry old injuries, spiritually speaking we have been redeemed to have a relationship and by faith walk unencumbered with the living God today.  Those who try to use God like a crutch will remain spiritually lame--even if their faith in God is genuine.  Isn't it time to ditch the crutches?