The Answer For Your Issues

The Answer for Your Issues

Sunday, June 26, 2011 – AM

By Pastor James May

Issues – we all have them. Whether its issues within ourselves or issues that are a part of our lives that are brought upon us from other sources. The fact remains that we all have issues to deal with on a daily basis. How do you deal with your issues? Where do you seek answers for those things which plaque your life every day? Where, or with whom do you find the help you need when there are issues on the job; issues in your marriage; issues with your children; issues with your health; or any of the other issues you deal with?

In our message for today there is a story of one woman who had an issue that had been draining the life out of her for twelve years. Let’s look at Mark chapter 5 and read about her.

Mark 5:25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

Mark 5:26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

She had a physical issue that she could not overcome though she had tried every conceivable means to do so. Under the Law of Moses she was considered as ceremonially unclean and anything and everyone she touched would also be considered as unclean. Leviticus chapter 15 tells us that she was considered as unclean for at least seven days after the issue had ceased. But her sickness hadn’t lasted for just a short time and then passed. For 12 long years she suffered. For 12 years she had lived a life of uncleanness and separation with no hope of being healed of her sickness. She could have very little contact with other people and was shunned because of her condition. She was cut off from main stream society; cut off from the worship in the temple; and according to the Law, she was cut off from God. According to the Law she couldn’t offer her sacrifices in the temple; and she was too ashamed to appear before people.

She had an issue of blood and it was an issue that would bring her to an early grave, but no one had an answer for her.

She had gone to doctor after doctor in Israel, searching for someone who had a cure, but none could help her. Just like it is today, the medical profession of her day was probably a self-perpetuating profession. By that I mean that it seems the doctors are supporting one another, one specialist feeding off another. If you don’t think that’s true just think about what happens when you get sick.

In recent days I’ve had some first hand experience at how it all works. I went to a Primary Care Doctor, who is very good and very conscientious. Of course there are certain areas where she lacks expertise, so then she begins to refer me to other doctors who specialize in areas where she lacks knowledge and experience. First there’s the Cardiologist who puts you through the ringer to make sure that you aren’t having heart and circulation issues. If you didn’t have heart trouble when you went in; you might when you come out because his tests can be pretty strenuous. Since he didn’t find anything wrong, I was then referred to a Pulmonary Specialist, who ran a whole battery of tests to see how well you breathe. He finds little wrong, no definitive results and so begins the long process of try and try again. It doesn’t end with one visit to each doctor. Now you are on the list to come back at regular intervals to make sure you stay well, or to try and find out if there’s really a problem that needs to be treated. Two trips to the ER, 3 days in the hospital, 6 or 7 doctors later, and still no one knows exactly what I had or how to treat it. They all give medications, but then tell me not to take what the last doctor gave because of side effects. I’ve only dealt with this for 3 months. I can’t begin to imagine what this poor woman dealt with for 12 years. It’s a never-ending, vicious cycle and it drains you physically, mentally and financially.

Every time you step into the door of a medical facility, whether it’s a doctor, a clinic or a hospital, you can just get ready to give them your paycheck. There’s no escaping the co-pays for the doctor or the pharmacy. And you better have insurance. I pity the poor folks who have none and there are a lot of them. Very few can afford the price to get treatment without insurance. The high cost of medical help is spiraling out of control with no end in sight.