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 think 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 people live 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 they did not admit to it. Sin, when it has taken advantage of 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 also a physician who could heal the sickness. Our Lord is the Great Physician Who heals the sick. He is Jehovah Rapha, 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 was a perplexing question: "Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" The physician and balm were readily available, but the people who were sick would not avail themselves of it. They knew that forgiveness and cleansing was available, but they would not ask for it. There was a refusal of God’s forgiveness and restoration. Are you a Christian who is spiritually sick with anger, bitterness, lukewarmness, lying, pride, unforgiveness, or other sins, but like these believers refuse to come to God to be made well? We become our 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, when left untreated, always results in the disease having the 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. This morning, take your spiritual temperature and do a spiritual work-up. Even if it is just one sin, get the balm in Gilead, and go to the Physician Who heals the sick for forgiveness and restoration. Don’t let sickness prevail. 

Have a spiritually well God Morning! 

Bible Reading Schedule: Amos 6-9

#Jeremiah #Balm #Health #Medicine #Physician #Sin