Send For the Doctor

“On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”
Matthew 9:12-13

I suppose it was inevitable, after the stressful months that had led to a cross country move and a great new job that I would get sick. Oh it was nothing major, just the nuisance that a common cold is and like a good wife I shared it with my husband so he could experience the joy of a stuffy nose with me. Common colds don’t really need a doctor, but as I sniffled and coughed and reflected on the Cross of Christ during the days leading to the church’s celebration of His resurrection a passage of Scripture our pastor used recently kept running through my mind. 

This week’s passage from Matthew’s Gospel finds Jesus responding to the Pharisees. You got love the Pharisees - I know they were well educated and most likely very dignified men but sometimes when I read about how they interacted with Jesus and his disciples, I can’t help but imagine the “Keystone Cops” of silent movie fame. In the lead up to Jesus’ words the Pharisees had been offended by the company Jesus was keeping and asked His disciples about it. Can you imagine Jesus saying, “I’m sitting right here” and then giving them a polite what for statement, that they would have understood without any additional explanation needed.

The point that Jesus was making is that He can actually help those folks who fully understand that they have fallen short of all that God desires of them and for them. These folks - the tax collector and sinners had changeable hearts, the Pharisees and their self-righteous attitudes did not.

The modern world hasn’t changed a lot since then. There are people in the church and out of the church whose own self-righteous attitudes get in the way of what Jesus wants to do in their lives. Jesus will always seek those with changeable hearts, those who know they are sin sick and need a doctor. 

You don’t have to be a “tax collector” or “prostitute” to need Jesus. Sometimes it is the less obvious sins of the heart that are in the greatest need of the healing only Jesus can bring. 

As we spend these days before Easter reflecting on the Cross of Christ, and looking at our own hearts in light of His great sacrifice, may we realize our need and send for the doctor so He can heal our hearts and restore our souls.

A Prayer
Father - Thank you that Your Son prefers the company of tax collectors and sinners, may we acknowledge our place among them so that our hearts and lives can be healed by His presence in them. Once we have experienced the power of a restored life help us to live with joy filled humbleness so that the tax collectors and sinners around us might see Your mercy and grace in us and be healed too. In the name of Jesus, Amen.