doctor's life support

21st April: God the Healer

Heal the sick. Luke 10:9

The Bible does not say very much about physicians, and much of what it does say is not very complimentary. We find, for example, that Joseph did not call in the physicians to his father Jacob until after he had died, when he wanted his body embalmed (Gen 50:2). The only really effective Healer in the Old Testament is the Lord himself; one of his titles is 'The Lord, your healer' (Ex 15:26).

When the Lord Jesus performed his miracles of healing, he was, as ever, doing the works of his Father (Jn 5:19). When Christian doctors go in his name to do their ministry of healing, they are doing, with different tools and in different ways, what their Master did here on earth. As we go about our work today, let us keep his words in our minds. God himself is the great healer. All we can do with our modern scientific medicine is apply the principles we know to counteract the factors which hinder healing and facilitate those which aid to it. And here, so often, we need wisdom to discern just what those factors are.

Lord, you are the Great Physician.
As I move among my patients today,
grant me in a special way your wisdom
to know what best I can do to promote that healing of
body, soul and spirit that you alone can give.
Grant that I may be hindered from doing anything
which would cause physical mental or spiritual harm
to those I seek to serve.
Use me as your instrument of healing today.

Further reading: Mark 5:25-29. Lk 10:1-9.

JWMcM