We Work With Him To Heal

This discussion about sickness got started because I invited you to look with me at the story in John 9 about the man born blind and Jesus' disciples asking him whose sin brought on that particular disability. Jesus' answer is very helpful.

As (Jesus) passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. - Jhn 9:1-7 ESV

Some babies are born blind or with severe vision loss. This can be caused by many different things, including defects in the eye itself, problems with the part of the brain responsible for vision, or by infections. Some of the factors placing an infant, toddler, or child at significant risk for visual impairment include:

• Prematurity, low birth weight, oxygen at birth, or bleeding in the brain
• Family history of retinoblastoma, congenital cataracts, or metabolic or genetic disease
• Infection of mother during pregnancy such as rubella, toxoplasmosis, venereal disease, herpes, cytomegalovirus or AIDS
• Problems with the central nervous system such as developmental delay, cerebral palsy, seizures, or hydrocephalus.

As you can see, there are many biological, genetic and developmental causes of vision loss. Some cause more severe loss than others. Regardless of what modern medical diagnosis one may offer for the blindness of the man referenced in John's Gospel it is critical that we hear Jesus' answer.

"It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. - Jhn 9:3 ESV

Whatever was Jesus getting at? The man had been born blind. From childhood to maturity he'd groped about in darkness. God had permitted it. Further, we know nothing about the man's faith. Neither he nor his parents approached Jesus, pleading for him to cast out some demon of blindness or to release him from the supposed bondage of Satan. In fact, we hear nothing from the man nor his parents before Jesus healed him. From what we read later the blind man was not even aware of who Jesus was (John 9:24-33). And yet Jesus made a paste of mud to put on his eyes and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam. He did and came back seeing. Quite amazing.

Back to Jesus' answer. This man's sins and the sins of his parents did not cause the blindness. His blindness was not the direct result of anyone's specific disobedience to the will and commands of God. There is no direct correlation between some particular sins and a specific disability like this man's blindness. Jesus pointed out that the eighteen Galileans who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them were no worse sinners that all the other Galileans (Luke 13:1-5). Paul teaches the same thing. All are equally guilty of sin and have earned death.

For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, - Rom 3:22-24 ESV

Because of the sin of Adam we are all sinners, born into a world of sinful mankind (1 Cor 15:22). We who were to rule the earth have now pulled it down into suffering and death along with us. The whole earth is under God's curse (Gen. 3:17-19), a curse that will remain until Christ returns to make all things new (2 Peter 3:13; Romans 8:19). Yet in Christ we are set free from that curse. In Christ our sins are forgiven.

Yet sin remains with us who have been reborn in Christ in this present age and will until we receive new bodies in the promised resurrection (1 Cor 15:50-55). Meanwhile we struggle with our sinful nature and the temptations of satan throughout our lives. Even after his conversion the Apostle Paul had to acknowledge this.

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. - Rom 7:18-23 ESV

So back to the man born blind. Note that Jesus does not lay out some general abstract answer to the question of sickness. He simply emphasizes that this particular man's blindness was not a result of some particular sin by him or his parents. However, here was an opportunity. This poor man needed help, whether he asked for it or not, and Jesus would not pass by without reaching out to him. That was why he made the mud poultice for his eyes and tested him by asking him to wash in the pool.

Further, it seems clear that Jesus was using this as an opportunity to teach his disciples how to do the work of God, the work of compassion and love for all caught in the suffering, pain and death of this world. Joined with Jesus as disciples, yes as members of his body, we reach out to heal and bind up those suffering in darkness and pain. And in this manner we make visible the love revealed in Jesus Christ: God loves the world and sent Jesus to set us all free.

We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." - Jhn 9:4-5 ESV

Some translations have Jesus saying, "I must work the works . . ." Indeed he did and does. But an even better reading of the original text has him inviting us all to work with him, even as he works in and through us: "We must work the works of him who sent Jesus." We are God's fellow workers (1 Cor. 3:9). We work with him in this world to bring God's mercy and forgiveness and healing and wholeness for heart, mind and body. This has long been the motivating power behind medical missions, hospitals, hospice care, Christian counseling and millions upon millions of other works of mercy by Christians throughout the world. Through this work of God the light of Jesus, the light of the world is being
displayed for all to see.

This beautiful chapter of John has so much more to teach us. We will continue our study in my next posts.

Home Health Care For Seniors

As loved ones age the question of care inevitably rises in families. Should the time come when Mom and/or Dad needs care, how will we children manage it? Should they move into our home? Will they need to move at all? What if they stay where they are and are cared for by caregivers right in  their home? And central to all these questions, What do they want to do?

In recent news the following appeared:

Consumer Watchdog: Insurance Company Sued for Denying Elderly Sick Their Home Care Benefits - PR Newswire - sacbee.com: The suit charges that SHIP – which services policies that were originally sold by Conseco, American Travelers Life, Transport Life, United General Life, and Continental Life Insurance Company – is telling policyholders who file claims under their long-term care policies that caregivers who come to their home must be licensed when in fact licensing is not required. According to the suit, the company is also requiring policyholders to produce extensive documentation not required by the policy and requiring policyholders to undergo unnecessary medical examinations by personnel selected by SHIP. Examples of SHIP's abusive documentation practices aimed denying coverage include requiring multiple claim forms requesting duplicate information, forms authorizing SHIP to obtain medical records, proof of caregiver certification, and detailed daily caregiver notes.

Not good to hear. Doubtless care must be taken in signing up for long-term insurance. It is usually wise for the entire family to discuss these issues together.

Home Health Care is a growing industry. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, from 2000 to 2007 Home Health Care Services ranks 41st among the 491 industries that make up the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying businesses in order to collect, analyze and publish statistical data.

During that generally expansionary economic period, Home Health Care ranks higher than breweries, wineries, legal services, insurance carriers, electromedical apparatus manufacturing, and even nitrogenous fertilizer manufacturing. Amazingly, since the beginning of 2008 (inclusive of our deep recession), it has certainly moved up that chart and is likely now in the top 15 — hobnobbing with the likes of information services and petroleum refineries.

The over 65 age group is growing in the United States, primarily because seniors are living longer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides data for the U.S. Check the link for more details.

• Number of U.S. residents age 65 and over: 38.9 million (2008)

Life expectancy

• Men at 65 years: 17.6 years
• Women at 65 years: 20.3 years

Health status

• Percent of noninstitutionalized persons age 65 and over in fair or poor health: 24% (2009)

• Percent of noninstitutionalized persons age 65 and over who need help with personal care from other persons: 7.0%

The charts and reports are endless. What emerges from all this data? We seniors are living much longer these days. Seniors will soon be 40 million strong in the United States and over 75% are doing pretty good. And they're going to be around well into their 80s and beyond, going and coming, living in their own homes. The 25% who aren't so blessed will feed the Home Health Care industry and provide challenges for their families.

Here are some guidelines from the Bible about caring for the elderly of your family.

"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’" - Acts 20:35 ESV

Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity. Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God. She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach.  

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband, and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work. - 1Ti 5:1-10 ESV

Seek The Peace Of The City

My grandson Patrick stopped by for an overnight visit this weekend, joined by his brother Shawn, Shawn's wife Marian, accompanied by Shawn and Patrick's parents, my daughter Cheryl Lee and husband Derrick. Sylvia and I joined them for a steak at Salt Grass Steakhouse to celebrate an important milestone: Patrick received his senior ring at Texas A&M University this weekend. He has only the spring semester left before graduation. We're all quite proud of him. He's quite aware of national events, but voices a deep distrust of all elected politicians.

Of course, his upcoming graduation brings back memories of my own, now nearly 54 years ago! And that takes me back to the world of the fifties, the hopes, plans and dreams of my generation. Any thoughts of the lives of my grandchildren back then were vague at the very best. Yet, from what I recall, we were positive and hopeful about our nation's future.

I paid relatively little attention to the 1954 national elections of representatives and senators. General Eisenhower, a Republican party war hero, had already been elected two years before during a time when Cold War tension between our nation and the Soviet Union was escalating. Eisenhower's election ended twenty years of the Democratic party's control of the White House. There was much concern about the stalemated Korean War and Senator Joseph McCarthy was finding communists hiding in closets everywhere. Yet with all those momentous events going on, I focused primarily upon my studies and my personal life. I was preparing for a lifetime vocation as a clergyman.

From what I hear, young voters broke voting turnout records this year. They doubled and in some cases tripled their presence in caucuses like Iowa, energized by the heated contest to decide whether, for the first time, a black candidate was to become the Democratic nominee and later president. They responded to intensive youth outreach from Republican and Democratic campaigns by volunteering, and used social networks to amplify their own opinions.

Perhaps that says something about the media making our youth more conscious of what's going on around them or perhaps they're feeling more pressured than many of my classmates and I did in the fifties. Each generation, it seems, brings its own uniqueness to the national scene. Yet each generation of believers must heed to what I did not give much attention in my youthful zeal for the kingdom of God. It is summarized in the words of the prophet Jeremiah (29:7).

"And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace."

The Israelite nation had lost its land to the marauding Babylonian empire over 600 years before the birth of Christ. For seventy years they remained slaves, their homes destroyed, relatives, parents and children slaughtered. And yet the LORD commanded them to seek the peace of the city and pray for it.

That word 'peace' is Shalom in Hebrew. It is an all-encompassing word, referring to safety, soundness (in body), welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment, friendship, peace (from war) and above all, a peaceful relationship with God. And note that in the peace of the city or town where you live "you also shall have peace." In other words, when we Christians are prayerfully involved in the affairs of our towns and cities, the blessings abound for all.

Many are the issues facing our nation: poverty, immigration, financial crises, care for the elderly, education, the end of a most hated war and on and on. My prayer is that all of us in my generation, my children's generation and my grandchildren's generation take very seriously the guidance of the LORD and, according to our various callings, seek the welfare, health, prosperity and peace of this wonderful land in which we live. And, above all, let us seek to share that peace that surpasses all others, the peace offered by our heavenly Father through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.