Nougat 27

When one lives with a debilitating illness, it’s very easy to get caught up in all things ‘diseasey’ to the exclusion of all else. In Jesus’ time, hypochondria was less problematic, as the chronically ill were often removed from regular society – lest they contaminated the community with their illness. It didn’t always mean diseased people would not be overly fixated on their conditions, for it was often as a life sentence. And of course, the well did their utmost to avoid the sick. Let’s bear all this mind as we reflect on today’s Holy Nougat

“Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Sometimes, our attitude towards those who are unwell rivals those of yesteryear. Especially during the lockdown. But more so towards the spiritually sick. We quarantine ourselves from them, judge them and ensure that they know how unwelcome they are in our lives. To make matters worse, we sometimes assume superiority over the spiritually ill to the extent that they wish to have nothing to do with our Faith.

The spiritually sick, unlike the spiritually ‘well’ ones, are sometimes very conscious of our shortcomings and recognize their need for healing. Those ones of us will seek God’s healing grace for divine healing and transformation. Those sick ones are within redemption.

But there are those of us who are so caught up in perfection it is as though we’re hypochondriacs ourselves, or the wellness police. The problem is, when we are so caught up in judgement and abandonment of the dis-eased, we often forget that they are the ones for whom Christ came. And, as long as we believe ourselves spiritually well, we are exempt from receiving Jesus and His healing grace.

Siblings in Christ, let us not forget our roots. Without Jesus We. Are. Nothing! For it is in Him that we live, move and have our being. No one else. And, if He’s not part of the equation, we are sick, and unfortunately unaware that we are sick. I suspect we all have such moments sometimes.

We don’t have to become fixated on sin to the exclusion of living healthy spiritual lives. Nor do we need to marginalize those whom we deem sin-sick. Rather, a life of prayer and lived proclamation of faith that prioritizes Jesus and His transforming grace, affords us all access to the Physician Who came only to heal the sick. Lord, heal us from the inside out.

ps From time to time there are typos in the nougats. My sincere apologies – I’m often preparing via ‘smartphone’. Thanks for understanding.

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May all we seek be found in Christ