Last week, in light of my tingling fingers, my wife wanted me to see a doctor. Initially, I was trying to put off the appointment thinking that the tingling would go away after a few days. Under my wife’s insistence, however, I went to see the doctor reluctantly. Through this opportunity, I also did an annual physical check-up at the same time.

Entering the examine room, I sat on the examining chair and glanced through postings on the wall. A plaque titled “A doctor’s prayer” caught my eyes. Yet, I couldn’t see its context clearly from distance due to my aged eyes.  The doctor then came in and we chatted. Interesting thing is I find that the doctor and I shared the same lower back problem. As an experienced solider to the problem, the doctor offered me advises in how to minimize its pain and possible cure. After my check-up, I finally had a chance to read the context of “A doctor’s prayer”.  It says,

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the great Physician of our souls. During your life on earth, you healed the sick and even brought the dead back to life.

From your heavenly abode, continue to be the Divine Physician for your people and bless the noble work to which you have called me. Make me truly wise in my medical judgments and genuinely sympathetic in my dealings with patients. Amen.

I find that this interesting experience gives me things to ponder. Originally, I was trying to delay my doctor’s appointment, thinking that I can wait. The truth is without gone through the check-up, I really couldn’t know what is going on in my body. The likely result is a small problem could lead to a big problem. This reminds me of an advertisement, “This year, thousands of men will die from stubbornness. 有上千個男人今年會死於頑固”.  I think there is a moment of truth in the advertisement. 🙂 “How stubborn are you?” is a good question to ask yourself. Chinese has an old saying, “Refuse to be convinced until one is faced with the grim reality不見棺材不掉淚” gives us a vivid picture of one’s stubbornness.

My dear friends, do you perceive that you are healthy without any problem? My question to you is “How true is your perception?” To me, I may obstinately assume that I am healthy. Not until I gave up my stubbornness in order to be checked up by a doctor then I learned my own problems. Besides, even my doctor can’t be free from physical problems too.

The doctor’s prayer, described in the plaque, recognizes the authority and power of Jesus Christ – He is the “Jehovah-Rapha (Exodus 15:26)”.  Owing to His great love, He came to our world to take away our pain and suffering from sin. We have to realize that He is the ultimate healer to all our sickness, both physical and spiritual. When we are stubborn to our self-righteousness, we would not be able to see our spiritual sickness – a sinner in God’s eyes. This is the reason Jesus said to the teachers of the laws who are Pharisees, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. (Mark 2:17)”

If we didn’t learn that “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) 因為世人都犯了罪，虧缺了神的榮耀”  through God’s word, we wouldn’t know that we are having the spiritual illness. Therefore, my dear friends, when we humble before the greatest healer, Jesus Christ, we can be sure that we will be cured from all diseases. Because, the apostle John told us that “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. 神要擦去他們一切的眼淚；不再有死亡，也不再有悲哀、哭號、疼痛，因為以前的事都過去了 (Revelation 21:4)”.

May you meet the greatest healer, Jesus Christ, personally!