Dr. Jesus
The world of medicine has never been my strong suit. I will gladly pay much money to my doctor and leave it up to him/her to diagnose and treat any sickness. I leave the world of blood, guts, and sickness at the doctor’s office. Rule #1 of Jeff’s life”: “Never See Blood” Why? I pass out. God put blood inside us, and never intended it to come out; when we have blood drawn or have surgery, we are entering into God’s domain. I choose to let Him do His part, and me do my part. I know what you’re thinking: “Jeff, after all of your brain surgeries, you are still squeamish around blood?” Yup…and I’ll always be.
Jesus, however, sees through our physical sickness because it is secondary to the problem of the heart. Each healing by Jesus always has a spiritual underlying meaning. I believe it always pleased Jesus to heal. However, it often frustrated Him because people’s desire for physical healing usurped their need for spiritual healing. In Luke 5, we see Jesus cleansing a leper and healing a paralytic both in one day. Afterword, He sits and eats with the tax collectors. Jesus effectively draws the comparison between the sick and the healthy. Luke 5:31 notes, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick [do].” Of course, Jesus’ healing only symbolizes His inner desire for true healing - spiritual healing.
Reading the gospel of Mark brings us to another example of Jesus’ concern for our well-being. Mark 5 informs readers of a Jewish ruler named Jairus. (I’ve always loved his name!) Having heard of Jesus’ healings, Jairus comes to Jesus, falls at His feet, and begs Him to come and heal His daughter. Apparently, she was very sick. “My little daughter lies at the point of death!” He exclaims. Jesus agrees, and He begins walking with Jairus back to his home. At this point, Jesus and Jairus’ trip is interrupted by a lady who reaches out to touch Jesus. Her touch of faith instantly heals her flow of blood. Jesus exclaims, “Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” During the time it took for Jairus to go find, speak with, and now escort Jesus back to his house, his daughter dies. Notice, there is no indication Jairus was ever perturbed or mad at Jesus for taking the time to heal the young woman. Once entering the house, Jairus learns his daughter is dead. Jesus’ response: “Do not be afraid; only believe.” Jesus promptly enters the room, takes her by the hand, and says, “Little girl, arise.” She was instantaneously healed!
The concept that God is a healing God is not just expressed in the New Testament. Countless stories in the Old Testament express God’s ability to heal. Exodus 15:26 describes by His own self-recognition: “For I am the Lord, your healer.” Job describes His healing thus: “For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.”
Almost every family in our church is in a situation where one member needs to be healed of some infirmity. For some it’s the dreaded “C” word. Others are struggling with aches, pains, or persistent setbacks they just cannot seem to shake. As a communal body, we must place our need at the foot of the cross and into the arms of our loving Savior.
Jesus frames physical sickness in a new and different light. Every time Jesus is confronted with an illness or a person who pleads for restoration, He heals with a spiritual mindset. It’s almost as if Jesus is saying, “Yes, I will physically heal you, but there is another kind of more important healing you need to be concerned with - the spiritual.” Throughout Scripture, we never see a “healing” apart from a spiritual lesson. The physical restoration is always secondary to the primary matter, and this is the matter of the heart. We are right to pray in faith for physical healing as long as we have the faith to accept His healing may be heavenly. Oftentimes, God does not heal for the same reason He does heal - to give Him glory, worship, and praise.
Let us look to Jesus in our sickness. Jesus knows our hurts and pain first-hand. Isaiah declares, “Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.” Isaiah finishes, with a scarlet thread of hope noting, “By His stripes we are healed.” In the future when faced with an impossibility, therefore, turn to Dr. Jesus. He has the answer to all your hurts, your pains, and your heartache!