How's your health?

So last week just for fun and right after my family vacation ended I decided it might be interesting to try pneumonia and see how much fun that was. Answer: Not at all. Not something you should try if you can help it. This week as I'm feeling better I began to think about physical sickness and spiritual sickness and some of the similarities between the two. I got to thinking about Jesus and what he came to earth to do…the Bible says he came for those who were sick not the healthy. So what does that mean? Hmmm…Jesus what do you mean? In Mark 2:13-17 we find that quote from Jesus and an interesting story about a Bible character known as Levi... I'll sum up the story for you quickly...Jesus was teaching to a large group of people when he saw Levi sitting at his tax booth minding his own business, Jesus called out to him and said "follow me" and so Levi did. Next we find Jesus sharing a meal in Levi's house with other tax collectors and "sinners". Jesus' response to question from the religious leaders as to why he ate with "sinners" was that it wasn't the healthy that needed a doctor but the sick. So what can we take away from this? I see at least two important things: First, Jesus came to heal the sick. Both physical and spiritual sickness. Jesus’ main mission in coming to earth was to restore spiritual health to a really sick world. A world so sick that the only cure was Him. Romans 3:23, Jer. 17:9, Romans 6:23 But just because that was his main purpose it doesn’t mean he ignored physical healing. All throughout the NT Jesus healed physical illness as a way for the one healed to realize the need for spiritual healing. Jesus calls unbelievers to wellness while they are still sick Jesus was teaching and sought out Levi who was minding his own business. Jesus calls. That’s comforting because we don’t do the work either way but we play a great part in leading others to Jesus. Eph. 2:8-9 Ultimately we share Jesus for those who need his healing powers but He does the work in his way and in his timing. We are only called to faithfulness, not the results. So what’s our personal application or takeaway from these two points? Are you sick right now? Check your symptoms! Some symtoms of spiritual sickness are: weariness, hatred, fits of rage, jealousy, talking behind peoples back, lust, anger, a lying tongue, selfishness, idolatry, and the list goes on… Your response is to get to a doctor who can diagnose you properly and get you the right medicine. I would have never know how to get well into I went to a doctor who told me what was infected or sick in my body and then prescribed the proper medicine. Same for you… Do you know anyone who is sick? (lost, in need of Jesus) When you know the cure, you need to point people to the right place. Your job when you see symptoms of sickness is not to point out how wrong it is, or try and diagnose, but to take them to the healer who can do both; His name is Jesus. Don’t be afraid to reach out when you see a need. Remember, God points you to who and He gives you the words to say, and he does the work. You are only called to obedience not the results, it rests in his hands and thank God that it does! Matt Redman's "10,000 Reasons" cd was listened to during this blog