THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 5:27-32
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” (Luke 5:31)
Do you think of yourselves as spiritually healthy or sick?
Do I see myself as someone who needs help, or not?
Do you see others as more needy than you, more sinful, further from God?
The religious leaders thought they were OK, and this was their problem.
People who know they are sick do not hesitate to go see a doctor.
Jesus reveals God’s heart, how He wants to help sinner, not damn them.
Religion separates people into good and bad, religious and irreligious, believers and unbelievers.
But God sees all of us the same, as spiritually sick people needing healing, needing help.
Just because I am a believer, or a pastor, or a church-goer, does not make me better.
As hard as it is to believe, I am no better or no worse than a drug dealer or prostitute or rapist.
My sins may differ in type and degree, but they are still sinful, still cancerous.
They are still unhealthy, harmful to myself and others, destructive in God’s world.
We all need the doctor, we all need the messiah, we all need forgiveness, we all need help.
But only those who realize it will seek that help, will go to the doctor.
I need to realize that I daily eating and drinking with sinners, because I am one too.
Then I can see Jesus eating and drinking with me, ready to help and heal me.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I do sense and appreciate Your gracious presence in my life. Help me to see myself as no better or worse than any of the people I am with each day… and that we all equally need You, and have access to Your love.
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
So not going to lie. When I was a teen, I listened to Eminem because at one point I thought rap was cool. And this reminds me of a lyric in one of his songs called “I need a doctor”.
‘I’m about to lose my mind, I need a doctor, call me a doctor, I need a doctor, to bring me back to life’. It reminds me that Jesus is the only fit doctor to help us with addiction, mental illnesses, diseases and so on. Perhaps this is why I am too open with my struggles, just because I sing on the worship team, or used to be a Kid-zone leader doesn’t mean I was all good, and that I didn’t need Dr. Jesus. Sometimes I felt strange being in those roles when I didn’t have it altogether. Almost as if it were wrong to be that way. Some looking in, would assume I was healthy, full of happiness and had no issues. I mean, she goes to church and does church stuff, she cannot possibly be sick?
But I was. And I am. And I always will be. I say that because I don’t ever want to think I am too healthy for Jesus. It takes courage and strength to realize and seek help from Jesus not only when we are sick and in of need, but everyday. The world has too many distractions to keep us from talking to Him enough already. Recently I am involved in a upsetting story that involves ruining someone’s life. Family is quick to say – but this person ruined yours and they deserve all that is coming to them. But to me – that just puts a heavy amount of guilt on my heart. Yes, what this person did was wrong, and yes in a way it has given me a spirit of fear that takes much strength to fight. But does that person deserve to go through what they are about to? I believe in forgiveness and setting a person free. No matter what they have done for no sin is greater than another.
We all need a Saviour. And this person needs one. Not all the hate coming towards him from a past experience. I am no better than him. I need courage and help from Jesus to work peace in an upsetting situation. That if even my family were to turn against me, that the reason for what I do always traces back to His perfect love.