So, how is your spiritual health?

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.”
Psalm 139:1

I took this picture recently when I went to see my doctor for a physical exam before a minor surgery.  His assistant, Anita,  took my weight, temperature, oxygen saturation, and did an EKG.  Doctor Dan listened to my heart, lungs, asked me questions about my health, and read my EKG.  “Everything looks good,” the doctor said.

So physically, I am in pretty good health.  And that can be determined through various diagnostic tests.

But what about my spiritual health?  How can that be determined?  Am I in good spiritual health or not? What doctor or team of medical personnel can give me a spiritual exam?

Fortunately, I don’t need a doctor to inform me of my spiritual health.  Psalm 139 tells me that before I was even born, the Lord God knew the condition of my soul and everything about me.  The Lord has “searched me and knows me.”  No one can hide their spiritual condition from God.  Jesus said that even the hairs of our head are numbered by God.

And what does God know about me?  He knows my sin condition, that I have an incurable disease of disobedience.  He knows that even my best efforts fall far short of His holiness and purity.  And He knows that the consequences of that sin condition is death.

What shall I do?  I can try to hide my condition, deny it, cover it over.  But that won’t fool God.  And so instead, I confess that I cannot save myself, that I need the healing only the Lord Jesus can bring.

For God’s permanent healing, only one drastic medicine would work; the blood of His own Son.  The blood of Jesus forgives my sin, heals my disobedient heart, gives me eternal life.

The Lord only asks that I admit I need His healing and quit trying to hide my sin disease.  Praise God that He who was unafraid to touch lepers reaches out to me…

Dear Jesus, thank you for dying that I might live.  Please forgive me for trying to hide from your loving gaze.  Heal me with Your blood and your forgiveness.  Amen.

Text and Picture Copyright Steve Nickodemus