Doctors also need to know the Great Physician

Exodus 18; Job 36; Luke 21; 2 Corinthians 6

My hubby teaches me a valuable attitude. He makes regular trips to specialists since a heart attack over a decade ago and since the diagnosis of CLL a bit after that. (CLL is a chronic leukemia). Last week one of his doctors remarked that his bloodwork was “a train wreck” but he is so healthy that it must be due to “divine intervention.” He responded with his usual statement, “Every day I wake up by the grace of God.” He has told our friends that his illness and other medical issues give him opportunities to tell people about Jesus, people that he would not otherwise encounter.

I’m now trying to do the same. I now talk differently to my caregivers, including my doctor and the technician in the pacemaker clinic. When the nurse practitioner from the heart doctor’s office called about my choice to go off blood thinner, I was led to say in that conversation, “It is well with my soul.” She responded, “How do you know that hymn?” and we shared our faith in Christ. She eventually said, “As Christian to Christian, you made the right choice. As medical practitioner to patient, no way.” then she laughed.

Being bold to share Jesus Christ with others is a challenge though. Our culture uses His name to cuss and swear. Most people have little knowledge of the Gospel and some become quite hostile toward spiritual truths and hearing anyone talk about the Lord, or faith, or church. Jesus said it would get worse:

Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. (Luke 21:10–15)

It seems every generation has seen some of this prophecy and hopes Jesus will return soon. However, I’m not sure the signs of it are as important as the attitude I’m supposed to have when I see these indications. Jesus wants me to realize I am here for a purpose — to bear witness to His saving power. Not only that, should I be persecuted and put into some sort of unwanted custody, I’m to tell people whatever God puts in my heart to say. Certainly this attitude of listening for His instruction is just as important as having it when I need medical attention and am talking to medical people about God’s salvation plan and power.

As hubby says, I will never meet a neurologist or a heart specialist unless my body acts up and puts me in their care. Instead of complaining about it or being anxious, it is wise to seek God’s instruction. To borrow a line from John Piper, I’m not to “waste my illness” by fighting it as much as seeing it as part of the Lord’s plan to reach others.

APPLY: Realize there will always be days where I have “I don’t want to-itis” and feel sorry for myself. Realize that God will lift me up when I go to Him, perhaps just by reminding me that He has eternal purposes for my brain not sending the right signals to my lungs. And aside from the ‘me’ stuff, there are people out there in the medical realm that need to know the Great Physician. I’m to be prepared but not plan any speeches — just say whatever He tells me to say whenever He says it.