“Are there no healing ointments in Gilead? Isn’t there a doctor in the house?
So why can’t something be done to heal and save my dear, dear people?” (Jeremiah 8:22 MSG)
In the mid-80’s I traveled with my pastor at the time, early in my ministry, and we attended a service in Chicago. My pastor was the guest speaker. The Order of Service was very long for an afternoon service, something that seems to be a relic of the past in this rushing and bustling era in which we live. There were many area preachers sitting on the pulpit, pastors that had been in the ministry for quite some time. Nevertheless my pastor wanted me to sit by him. Almost every pastor was called on to do something and they were introduced with the title “Doctor.” Doctor after doctor they made remarks, read the Scripture, or help “raise” an offering. When asked by the host pastor if I knew how to raise an offering, I said, “I know how to say what the Bible says.” Apparently and surprisingly, that was not good enough. The host pastor called on one of the “Doctors” to “raise” the offering. It seemed like more of an auction than an actual giving opportunity to bring a gift to the Lord, a freewill offering. Let me get to the point I want to make, even though I think I just pointed out something already.
Holding His Bible with his sermon notes firmly in his hand, my pastor leaned over to my good ear and whispered, “If there are so many doctors, why are there so many sick people?” I smothered by surging laugh and simply smiled in my immediate response. Actually, that was a good question. In thinking about an answer, I came up with two. First, I thought that those who have the higher calling to labor in the ministry must work harder, continuously harder, to help others heal or avoid spiritual sicknesses. Let me include myself in the category of “those.” We have to help believers sustain their spiritual faith and if and when needed, search the word of God for a remedy to quickly heal their sicknesses. The second I put the shoe on the other foot, so to speak. The people we pastor must be willing to take the medicine prescribed by the Lord God Himself, not the preacher, but our Provider, the all-wise God who heals all our sin-sick diseases.
Whether preacher or parishioner, pulpiteer, or a pew member, let this meditation speak to you. The medicine is available. So just as we are admonished by public health officials to take the medicine to help us gain immunity from the present virus, let me admonish you to take the spiritual medicine, a medicine that will heal you or help you get better spiritually. Have a great day! Be blessed!
“Some of you were sick because you’d lived a bad life, your bodies feeling the effects of your sin;
You couldn’t stand the sight of food, so miserable you thought you’d be better off dead.
Then you called out to God in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time.
He spoke the word that healed you, that pulled you back from the brink of death.
So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;
Offer thanksgiving sacrifices, tell the world what he’s done—sing it out!” (Psalm 107:20-22 MSG)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King