This flu season has been a particularly fierce one. Emergency rooms have been filled to capacity, hospital bed space has been at a premium and doctor’s waiting rooms have witnessed standing room only. Many people have been seeking therapy for the aches, pains and illnesses that have plagued them.
The English word “therapy” comes from the Greek word “therapeuo.” In its original setting, it meant to serve. Later, however, doctors who rendered service in healing the sick became known by this word. Because it was used in reference to doctors, it took on the meaning “to care for the sick, to treat medically, to cure.”
In the New Testament, this word is never used in the general sense to serve. It’s often used, though, with the meaning to heal. However, it wasn’t used to refer to medical healing by doctors, but of the real healing Jesus performed. Only Jesus could “cast out the spirits with a word and heal all who were sick” (Matthew 8:16), even to restoring withered limbs and life itself.
Jesus performed such acts of healing, not just for the sick person’s benefit, but also more importantly, to testify that He is the Son of God. The healing He provided physically is secondary to the healing He offers spiritually to heal a world sick with sin. Only in Christ is there spiritual healing and the cure for sin’s consequences. “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32).
No one likes getting sick physically, and we should be even more concerned with what sin does to our spiritual vitality. The blood of Christ is the cure for sin, and living for Him is the therapy to avoid a setback (1 John 1:7). Rejoice in the salvation Jesus, our great Physician, makes available!
