Jesus, the Healer

the-raising-of-jairus-daughter-english-schoolLiving in the Spirit
June 27, 2015

Scripture Reading: Mark 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ So he went with him. –Mark 5:21-24

Is the availability of accessible, affordable, and appropriate health care a right or a privilege? This is a very complicated question. Medical professionals deal with it on a daily bases as they make difficult, ethical decisions regarding the efficacy of health care and its cost. In Oklahoma state sponsored mental health care is rationed with the more critical cases getting highest priority. By not treating early onset conditions, either physical or mental, we are mostly likely contributing to conditions becoming worse requiring more costly interventions later. While there are some medical procedures that might be deemed unnecessary for the wellbeing of people, such as purely cosmetic surgery on a normally healthy and attractive person, I believe that basic health care is a right and thus falls under the definition of the common good for which governments have some responsibility.

The assurance of the provision of health care is more than charity or even compassion for I believe people are our most valuable resource. Created in the image of God, all people have been endowed with talents and skills necessary to make our society function as God envisions it. When we as a society fail to enable each person’s full potential, we are negatively impacting the full fruition of God’s kingdom.

The reports of Jesus’ ministry found in the gospels illustrate the level of importance he gave health care. Our scripture today tells of his healing both a small child, who would not have been considered of much value at that time, and an unclean woman, who sought his healing in the anonymity of touching the hem of his garment. His care and concern for the least of the people is surely a plumb line for our care of each other.

Prayer: O Great Physician, let your healing powers surge through us as we work toward all your children’s wholeness. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.