Comment about Medicaid being used in a Miracle
Having just written two
(1•2)
highly laudatory commentaries regarding the Mendenhall's book, "My Peace I Give Unto
You," I do have a comment to make by way of critique. This is not intended to be a passing of judgment on the Mendenhalls, for I believe they were acting out of the best intentions of heart in this situation.
I am referring to their miracle in which Medicaid came through for them to pay their 130,000 dollar medical bill in full, along with two months of therapy for Denise as she recovered from. It had the signatures of a miracle because of its timing. First, they were not going to pay because all of the paper work was not in place. Second, Doug had just returned from the hospital where he had received a major revelation from the Lord that he was not to seek to use Denise' gifts as a means of getting money, but was told that the Lord would provide. Third, after Doug received the phone call from Medicaid saying that they would pay the bill in full along with two months of therapy, Denise replied, "See, I told you Christ would take care of it!"
I do not discount that for them, Christ softened the heart of the Medicaid staff, and by this means provided relief from the medical debt they were under.
However, this does not change the fact that in general, Medicaid is a socialist program that has been adopted in America. It is funded by the force of government acting by the will of the majority, despite the agency of individuals who may or may not want to participate in funding what the government funds. In Zion, the care for those in need is done completely through the free will of those involved in giving, not through the coercive force of law.
I do not believe the Mendenhalls understood this principle, or they would not have applied to Medicaid in the first place, but would have held out for some other solution to their medical debt.
Because they did not understand this principle, the Lord did not hold them accountable, and was able to use Medicaid as an instrument of performing a miracle in their life.
I do believe, however, that in retrospect, at some point, it will be important for the Mendenhalls to realize that Medicaid is not an instrument of Zion, and realize that just because Christ used it as a tool in their particular circumstance does not mean that he endorses the principles of coercion that supports its existence.
Sincerely,
Sterling D. Allan
Oct. 24, 2001
