Those who are well have no need of a doctor

There are many things I am wanting to share about and discuss (topics of submission and church membership)  but I forgot my notebook in the car and it is raining. So I just want to share about something on my heart regarding mercy.  

God is a gracious and merciful God.  He is constant in His action of love and grace.  Tonite, my Father just filled my heart with mercy as I sat in on a new counseling case.  It is a family still recovering from a divorce...really hurting and broken.  Their child was sitting in between the ex-husband and wife struggling to explain her hurt and frustration with her new step parent.  She kept coming back to the fact that she didn't want them to get divorced in the first place, but she knows she can't change that.  Through tears and heartache, this teenage girl was explaining the challenge of not having as much time with her dad now that he is re-married.  As I sat there listening and taking notes, my heart just ached for all three of them.  For a while, I was just involved in their pain and empathizing with them, feeling a sense of hopelessness for them.  This poor girl just wants her parents to get back together, but obviously that is not possible right now.  So what is the answer to this girl's pain?  They can't just make it all better by getting married again.  

Well, I do not know the answers or what to really tell these people at this point (still gathering information).  But I did have a story that gives me encouragement about this case. 

"As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.  And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.  And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

This family is hurting and struggling from a divorce.  (They said they attend a church in town).  Just the fact that they are seeking counsel for their daughter is awesome.  They realize they need help and guidance with their situation, and they came to recieve counsel that is Biblical.  This family is a pretty good-looking family.  They look like they are each individually blessed financially by their appearance.  They have good jobs and live a pretty normal American life-style.  On the outside, they don't look like they have alot of problems.  But, here they are in the counseling room, just gushing with issues.  After I left the session, I just thought about their willingness to get counsel.  Jesus said in Matthew that those who are well do not need a doctor. Jesus did not come to this earth because people here as so perfect.  He came because there are those who are sick with sin.  I know it was not easy for that family to enter the building and ask for help.  But they came anyway.  Just the humility they had.  They almost seemed to show more humility regarding their issues than many church people I grew up with...

We are so far from doing things perfectly in our lives...we all sin against a Holy God.  He demands holiness and perfection that we cannot give.  That's where Jesus comes in.  He was the image of God's love (and wrath) and grace, to fill our spot on that cross that had to be filled.  Someone had to die for all the sin in the world.  It was dear, sweet, King Jesus.  Jesus welcomes all who humble themselves to a relationship with him and God the Father, to live a full, abundant life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness.  Jesus and His example of mercy towards sinners is one that never fails to touch me.