Living in the Spirit
June 30, 2018
Scripture Reading: Mark 5:21-43
Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ He looked all round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’ –Mark 5:25-34
We argue about many things trying to prove points using the Bible to prove our stances. One thing about which there is no argument: Jesus was a healer and expects us to be healers too. As a nation of people, the USA is failing to follow our role model of healing and returning people to wholeness. Medical care in the USA cost substantially more than in any other industrialized nation. The cost of prescriptive medicine is set by what the market can bear. That may be an OK business practice for soft drinks and hot tubs, it is not appropriate for the provision of medicine that makes the difference between life and death. When Congress added medication coverage to Medicare (Part D) it specifically stipulated that Medicare could not negotiate drug prices like private sector insurance companies do. Such practices move health care out of the realm of being available to all making it a privilege for the wealthy few. The middle class may suffer the most from our health care system. It is estimated that 62.1%* of bankruptcies are filed because of the inability to pay medical bills.
All God’s children and that is all people need accessible, affordable health care with an emphasis on prevention.
“As soon as healing takes place, go out and heal somebody else.” ― Maya Angelou
Prayer: Lord, heal our souls so that we can become healers of others.Amen.
*According to a Harvard University Study done in 2009 see at https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/643000-bankruptcies-in-the-u-s-every-year-due-to-medical-bills/
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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.