Healing People; Impacting Hearts

Many times in the New Testament Christ is referred to as our savior. It is a common title applied to Jesus and is also foundational to our relation to him as Christians. But do we know him as our healer? In Greek, savior and healer are the same word. Jesus came to heal what’s wrong inside of us, outside of us and between us.

This truth has become more real for me than ever this week as I have observed our new team from Puerto Rico. For three days they have been running a Medical Clinic here in the barrio, starting at seven-thirty in the morning and wrapping up around four. Through it, they have not only brought health and hope to countless people, but have demonstrated love in such a way as to reflect Jesus Christ: the One true doctor who means to heal us of every disease- physical and spiritual.

It has taken the collective efforts of the Medical Team, the School Staff, T.E.A.R.S. and the El Camino Church Staff to make this a reality: sorting pills and assessing problems, taking blood pressure and measuring heart rates, diagnosing and choosing the proper medicines, writing at break-neck speed and showing incredible patience and care to every new face-even when the auditorium is filled; grandfathers, infants and everyone in between waiting to be helped.

I’m sure Jesus himself felt weighed down at times, facing what G.K. Chesterton referred to as a “dreadful demagogy”- people swarming to him and longing to be touched by his healing power. Yet even so, he always responded gently and from an inexhaustible well of compassion. What has struck me about this unique team of disciples is that they, too, have shown Christ-like care to the needy multitudes of Maria Auxiliadora; tenderly encouraging little ones not to be afraid and attending to each infirmity with wisdom and mercy. It has been both commendable and encouraging.

We have all felt and seen the blessing that this team has brought, liberating people from pains and infections and freeing them from hindrances. It has kindled a flame of hope in my own heart, and caused me to look at the coming kingdom from a new perspective. May the restoration and redemption continue, until all things are reconciled to God and we are brought into an unspeakably joyous and enduring community, rejoicing forever in the glory of our savior- our healer.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 29th, 2007 at 8:43 pm and is filed under Missionary's View, T.E.A.R.S. School, General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.