Why Sickness Prevails

Today’s Verse:

Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? ~Jeremiah 8:22

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I enjoy being and feeling healthy, and I imagine you do as well. To be healthy, you have to eat the right foods, exercise, and see your physician for periodic examinations. However, can you imagine having the best physician and medicine available to deal with your illness, but you are not any better? This morning, let us consider why sickness prevails.

We see the reason.

The people living in Jerusalem and Judah were living in sin. They were openly idolatrous and proud of it. They listened to the fables and false message of the prophets and pastors who were making merchandise of the people. When a people lives in idolatry, their sense of conscience towards God’s commands is weakened. Sin is tolerated at all levels. Sin was blinding them from accepting the truth. Sin was corrupting and defiling their discernment. Sin led to a strained relationship between the people and God. They were spiritually sick, but did not admit to it. Sin, when it has taken advantage over a believer, leaves the believer very weak, powerless, and fruitless. It is important to know when sin has taken over in your life, and you are spiritually sick.

We see the resource.

In spite of being sick, there was a balm that could make them well. A balm is a salve or medicine that can be applied when you are sick. There was not only a healing balm, but there was a physician who could heal the sickness. Our Lord is the Great Physician who heals the sick. He is Jehovah Raphe, the Lord who heals. The balm in Gilead refers to an expensive medicine from a far mountainous country. Only one physician knows of the healing power of this balm. You see, our Lord is the only one who can deal with every sin sick soul. The blood that Jesus shed is the only remedy that can deal with our sin. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. The balm and the physician are readily available for you when you are spiritually sick.

We see the refusal.

There is a perplexing question: “why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?” The physician and balm are readily available, but the people who are sick will not avail themselves of it. They know that forgiveness and cleansing is available, but they will not ask for it. There is a refusal of God’s forgiveness and restoration. Are you a Christian who is spiritually sick from anger, bitterness, Luke warmness, lying, pride, unforgiveness or other sins, but like these believers, refuses to come to God to be made well.? We become our own worst enemies when we stubbornly refuse God’s mercies for restoration and would rather live in our sins and decline even further.

We see the result.

Judah and Jerusalem eventually were overtaken by a foreign power known as the Babylonians. They could have averted this takeover, but they chose not to. They remained delusional about their sin sickness. They refused to believe that the inevitable consequences would happen to them. Spiritual sickness left untreated always results in the disease having the upper advantage and victory over our spirit and life.

Yes, there is a balm and a physician who is ready and able to heal us of all our diseases. However, the choice is yours and mine. This morning, take your spiritual temperature. Do a spiritual workup of your blood chemistry. Even if it just one sin, go to the balm in Gliead and the physician who heals the sick to give you forgiveness and restoration. Don’t let sickness prevail.

Have a sickness-free God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: Amos 1-5

#GreatPhysician #Jeremiah #Sin