Romans 5:6-8
Christ arrives right on time to
make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He
presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak
and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we
hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can
understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can
understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless
sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son
in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
Several years ago, I got the
flu. It just so happened that I was scheduled for a yearly physical with
my family doctor during the time when I felt the worst. I called the
clinic and told the receptionist that I could not come in...that I was
too sick to get there. I heard a long, slow, dubious, “Okaaaaaaaaaayyy”
on the other end of the line. It didn’t make any sense to her that
someone could be “too sick” to see the doctor!
Believe it or not,
when I was a little girl, the doctor would have probably visited ME in
such a situation. There really was a time when doctors made “house
calls”! When people were too weak or sick to get ready or leave their
homes, physicians and nurses would leave their offices, get in their
cars, and drive to patient’s homes to treat them! While this was not a
“sacrifice” on their part that could in any way compare to the sacrifice
of Jesus on the cross...I’m sure it was an inconvenience for them - one
they were willing to endure for the health and well-being of their
patients.
If your doctor actually came to your home to treat you
today, wouldn’t you be astounded at his/her care and kindness? Wouldn’t
you feel just a tad special...like you were receiving preferential
treatment? Surely the doctor doesn’t do this for just anybody...you must be someone pretty important to him/her!
Here’s
the thing...there are a lot of things that we think we would do for
certain people. But when it comes to those we don’t know very well...or
never even met...we’d think twice about inconveniencing ourselves on
their behalf – much less making a big sacrifice for them. The concept
of offering our lives for people who don’t know us – and really don’t
deserve our help – is beyond our comprehension. Yet this is exactly
what Jesus did for us. He stepped up and offered His very life for
ours...people who were yet to be born and would never be worthy of such
generous grace and mercy.
Jesus is the Healer who shows up on
your doorstep when you are too weak to get up and take yourself to the
doctor. When life beats you down so badly that you can’t move – and
don’t know what to do – Jesus makes a “house call”. You and I needed a
Savior...Someone who understood that we will never be able to cover our
own sins, so He did it for us with a payment of His very life. If you
will start paying closer attention, you’ll see how Jesus shows up in
your life over and again – right on time. He seems to anticipate what
we will need before we even know that we need it. When we whisper,
“LORD...” we hear Him say, “I’m already on it!”
Don’t
misunderstand me...I love my family doctor – even if he doesn’t make
house calls! But I am so glad to know that the Great Physician will
visit me anywhere, anytime...that He will go to the ends of the earth to
meet the needs of all of His “patients”...and that there is NOTHING
that he cannot cure! What ails you today? Do you need a “house call”
from Jesus? Aren’t you ready to call on Him to give you a “clean bill
of health”? Will this be the day that you truly get well?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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