RE: Psalm 41 A Terminal Illness

What is sin like? Christianity has an abundance of symbolic words for sin: a wayward path, a stain, darkness. Most seem to explain why only Christ can remove our sin, and I think Psalm 41:3&4 can make a vital contribution to our medley of metaphor. The Psalmist called to God for merciful healing, because of his sin. His sin was referred to as an illness which needed healing.

Now some may argue that God punishes sin with disease, but personally I think it's foolhardy to blame an illness or calamity on God unless God has explicitly taken credit for the injury. Certain Christian figureheads like to talk about why God sends disease and disaster, and it embarrasses me every time. In scripture God did strike some people with punishing sickness, but others just got sick. Some were healed, and some were not. The only time we can tell which afflictions were punishments from God and which were not is when the Bible clearly delineates. Since the Bible does not say that God punishes such-and-such a sin with such-and-such an illness I'd just as soon take the Bible as is and not add anything to it. In any case the only illness of eternal importance is the illness of sin, and that is not a punishment; sin is self-inflicted.

Photo By: Beverly & Pack

Sin is our fault, and we are fully responsible for our own; at least, we were. Jesus, as you remember, did an awful lot of healing. He still heals, and most importantly he still heals that worst illness: sin. This is why the Psalmist called for mercy. We can call for mercy as well, with perfect confidence that Jesus Christ is the great physician who comes not to the healthy but to the sick. (Mark 2:17)

Jesus Forgives, & Heals, A Paralytic

Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to human beings. -Matthew 9:2-8

There is no miracle greater than the forgiveness of our sins. As Christians it becomes easy after a while to take our forgiveness for granted, but to the first century Jews forgiveness was an exclusively divine act that required a holy priest and a blood sacrifice. It still is. We have a great a beautiful privilege to live in a world where our sins have all already been paid for by Christ's blood, and in which the Spirit dwells in the hearts of men and women, equipping and inspiring them to acts of divine forgiveness.

Challenge: Is there someone you need to forgive? It is a proof of God being in us when we offer forgiveness. Pray and declare the forgiveness in Jesus name for anyone who's wronged you. Be as specific as you can. Remember that you stand forgiven as well and are welcomed enthusiastically into God's kingdom through no virtue of your own.

Jesus Heals A Man With A Shriveled Hand (On The Sabbath)

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. -Mark 3:1-6

It is dangerous to be right in matters where established men are wrong (Voltaire). We live in a messed up world where kindness and mercy are capitol offenses. We live in a world that has fallen from God's plan for it, a world which rages against love with every fiber of its being. Christ came to transform this corruption. He loved the unlovable and he showed mercy, even on the Sabbath. At the end of all that he sent his own Spirit to live in his followers. So although our world is corrupt, everyday, in places all over the world the light of Christ's love shines and dispels more of the darkness that once held this globe so completely. This light is in you too if you have been forgiven much. Nothing good lives in the sinful natures of man; if there is to be light, hope, and goodness in our world then we must let our lights shine. Dare to do good even on the sabbath.

Challenge: Show mercy to someone who doesn't deserve it, love someone who won't love you back, or attempt an act of unacceptable generosity. Let your light shine. The Lord is with you to empower your actions and forgive your failures.

Jesus Heals A Bleeding Woman

Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. -Matthew 9:20-22

The boldness of this woman is incredibly admirable. Women were not allowed, according to the Jewish laws, to touch anyone when they were bleeding. Touching Jesus meant that she would make him unclean, but she up and did it anyways. Having been infirmed and frustrated for twelve years she was determined to be well no matter what it cost her. The consequence? Jesus took her uncleanliness and made her clean. I'm sure there are people who would have told her not to go to Jesus until she was well. Coming to Jesus when you're broken gives him the chance to heal you, more than that, if we were to wait until we were no longer broken we would never come to him at all.

Challenge: What is broken in your life? Tell Jesus about that. He may not heal you instantly but he is able to share our burdens. Day by day God continues his work of making us whole, and he will continue to complete it until the last day.