An appointment with the Great Physician

Healer of our every ill

Matthew 9:12

12 But when he heard this, [Jesus] said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick." 

This really struck me this morning.  Such a simple truth.  Especially right now when many doctors are canceling appointments for routine checkups. They are scheduling phone appointments and virtual appointments for things like prescription refills and diagnosing “minor” illnesses.  Likewise, many of us are unwilling to go to the doctor’s office unless we really need to.   Even more than usual we avoid the hospital, especially the ER, because there are sick people there!  And the sick people really need to have the doctors’ attention.

Sadly, there are many in our country who can’t just go to the doctor when they are ill.  They may not have health insurance, or the co-pay is too high, or they can’t afford to take time off work no matter how sick they feel.  Even though they are sick and have need of a physician, they cannot get the care they need.  

Jesus told the Pharisees that his focus was on those who needed to hear the Good News of God’s love.  He spent time with the tax collectors and prostitutes and lepers - the unloved, unaccepted and socially unacceptable - because they needed to know that they, too, are beloved children of God.  He didn’t need to take  that message to the righteous, those who were already living as God wanted them to live, because they already knew this.  But he did need to tell those who thought they were beyond salvation that they, too, could enter the kingdom of God if they repented of sins and reconciled their lives with God’s desires for them.  They were soul sick, but could not get the healing, they needed, because for a variety of reasons they were not welcome in the Temple.

St. Augustine is believed to have said, ”The church is not a hotel for saints, it is a hospital for sinners.”   Yes, those of us in regular attendance at worship services and Bible studies and such understand that we are all sinners in need of God’s forgiveness.  But we forget sometimes, that we are called to carry the Good News of God’s love and forgiveness outside the walls, to the modern day lepers and public sinners.  We need to spend time not only with those who already know God’s love, but also with those who don’t, to make room in the hospital that is the church for those who are soul sick and need the attention of the Great Physician, but for a variety of reasons don’t believe they are welcome.

Lord, healer of all pains and ills, help us to make room for those who think there is no place for them.  Teach us how to speak and act so that we are always the best example of what it means to be Christian. Help us to heal the world, in the name of Jesus the Christ.  Amen.