Day 82

Numbers 36:1‐13; Deuteronomy 1:1‐46; Luke 5:29‐6:11; Psalm 66:1‐20; Proverbs 11:24‐26

Need a Physician?

Sometimes we need a physician even when we don’t know it or want to see one…

Most of the time, we only see a physician when we feel sick. When Jesus spoke to the crowd which included Pharisees and scribes, He knew that they all needed a physician—they were all sick. He knew all their history.

He also knew the ones who sensed their own sin and thought that they were not good enough for God. He chose to spend His time with them. That is why He said that He came to call the sick not the righteous. The sick knew that they were sinners and were in need of care, the kind of care only Jesus could provide. The Pharisees and scribes had no need of a physician because they believed they were well. They were like old “wineskins”—stiff, rigid and stuck in their old ways. They were too rigid to accept Jesus who could not be contained in their old traditions or rules.

Jesus requires new structure, new approaches, and new traditions. We need to leave room in our programs and ministries for the fresh touch of the Spirit. Perhaps there is a new approach, a new method, or a new idea. We must be careful that our own hearts don’t become so rigid that we are unable to accept the new way of thinking that Christ brings. Our hearts need to remain pliable like “new wineskins” so we can accept Jesus’ life-changing message.

John Motis, Deacon