2. Healing

From: Extracts From the Writings of Thomas Watson By: Thomas Watson

• 6 min. read • grade level: 6

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."—Psa. 147:3³He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

Christ is the most skilful physician, there is no disease too hard for Him. "Who healeth all thy diseases" (Psa. 103:3³Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; (Psalm 103:3)).

Christ shows more love to His patients than any physician besides: which appears in that long journey He took from heaven to earth, and in that He comes to His patients without sending for, "I am sought of them that asked not for Me; I am found of them that sought Me not" (Isa. 65:1¹I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. (Isaiah 65:1)). Then this physician lets Himself bleed to cure His patient, "He was wounded for our transgressions... and with His stripes we are healed" (Isa. 53:5⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)). Through His wounds we may see His bowels. Christ Himself drank that bitter cup which we should have drunk, and by His taking the potion we are healed and saved.

Christ is the most cheap physician, He takes no fee. "A woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians... came behind Him and touched the border of His garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched" (Luke 8:43-44⁴³And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, ⁴⁴Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. (Luke 8:43‑44)). He desires us to bring nothing to Him but broken hearts; and when He hath cured us He desires us to bestow nothing upon Him but our love.

Christ heals with more ease than any other. Christ makes the devil go out with a word (Mark 9:25²⁵When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. (Mark 9:25)). Nay, He can cure with a look: Christ's look melted Peter into repentance; it was an healing look. If Christ doth but cast a look upon the soul He can recover it. Therefore David prays to have a look from God, "Look Thou upon me, and be merciful unto me" (Psa. 119:132¹³²Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. (Psalm 119:132)).

Christ is the most tender-hearted physician. He hath ended His passion but not His compassion. He is not more full of skill than sympathy, "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds" (Psa. 147:3³He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)). Every groan of the patient goes to the heart of this physician.

Christ never fails of success. Christ never undertakes to heal any but He makes a certain cure, "Those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost" (John 17:12¹²While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12)). Other physicians can only cure them that are sick, but Christ cures them that are dead, "And you hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1¹And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)). Christ is a physician for the dead; of every one whom Christ cures, it may be said, "He was dead, and is alive again" (Luke 15:32³²It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. (Luke 15:32)).

Christ is the most bountiful physician. Other patients do enrich their physicians, but here the physician doth enrich the patient. Christ prefers all His patients: He doth not only cure them but crown them (Rev. 2:10¹⁰Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)). Christ doth not only raise from the bed, but to the throne; He gives the sick man not only health but heaven.

If Christ be a physician, then let us make use of this physician for our diseased souls. "When the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto Him, and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them" (Luke 4:40⁴⁰Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. (Luke 4:40)). You that have neglected a physician all this while, now when the sun of the gospel, and the sun of your life, is even now setting, bring your sick souls to Christ to be cured. Christ complains that though men are sick unto death, yet they will not come or send to the physician, "Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life" (John 5:40⁴⁰And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:40)). But, object poor souls, "I am discouraged to go to Christ to ease me because of my unworthiness." Who did Christ shed His blood for but such as are unworthy? "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15¹⁵This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). Christ came into the world as into an hospital among a company of lame, bed-rid souls. Who was ever yet saved because he was worthy? What man could ever plead this title, 'Lord Jesus, heal me, because I am worthy'? What worthiness was in Paul before his conversion? What worthiness in Mary Magdalene, out of whom seven devils were cast? But free-grace did pity and heal them; God does not find us worthy, but makes us worthy. If we never come to Christ to be healed till we are worthy, we must never come; and this talking of worthiness savors of pride, we would have something of our own; had we such preparations and self-excellencies then we think Christ would accept us, and we might come and be healed; this is to fee our physician; oh, let not the sense of unworthiness discourage; go to Christ to be healed. "Arise, He calleth thee" (Mark 10:49⁴⁹And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. (Mark 10:49)). Consider what a little time we have to stay here, and let that hasten the cure. Solomon saith there is "a time to be born, and a time to die" (Eccl. 3:2²A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; (Ecclesiastes 3:2)), but mentions no time of living, as if that were so short it were not worth the naming. Oh, hasten the soul's cure, death is upon its swift march, and if that surprise you suddenly, there is no cure to be wrought in the grave. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest" (Eccl. 9:10¹⁰Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (Ecclesiastes 9:10)). Now is the time of healing, now is the day of grace, now Christ pours out His balsam, "Now is the accepted time" (2 Cor. 6:2²(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). If we neglect the day of grace, the next will be a day of wrath (Rom. 2:5⁵But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; (Romans 2:5)).

If men will not receive the tenders of grace, Christ grieves (Mark 3:5⁵And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. (Mark 3:5)). He is like a judge that passeth the sentence with tears in his eyes, "He beheld the city, and wept over it" (Luke 19:41⁴¹And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, (Luke 19:41)). Ah, sinners, I come to save you, but you put away salvation from you: I come with healing under My wings, but you bolt out your physician: I would have you but open your hearts to receive Me, and I will open heaven to receive you, but you will rather stay with your sins and die, than come to Me and live, "Israel would none of Me" (Psa. 81:11¹¹But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. (Psalm 81:11)). Well, sinners, I will weep at your funerals....The men of the world see not the beauty of Christ. He doth not want worth but they want eyes. O unhappy man (saith Austin) who knowest all things else but Christ! thy knowledge will but serve to light thee to hell.

But are you healed? Then break forth into thankfulness. "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth" (Psa. 149:6⁶Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; (Psalm 149:6)). God expects thankfulness. "Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger" (Luke 17:17-18¹⁷And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? ¹⁸There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. (Luke 17:17‑18).)

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