Trusting the Great Physician
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
Philippians 2:6-7
In his book, In the Eye of the Storm, Max Lucado tells the following story:
February 15, 1921. New York City. The operating room of the Kane Summit Hospital. A doctor is performing an appendectomy.
In many ways the events leading to the surgery are uneventful. The patient has complained of severe abdominal pain. The diagnosis is clear: an inflamed appendix.
Dr. Evan O'Neill Kane is performing the surgery. In his distinguished thirty-seven-year medical career, he has performed nearly four thousand appendectomies, so this surgery will be uneventful in all ways except two.
The first novelty of this operation? The use of local anesthesia in major surgery. Dr. Kane is a crusader against the hazards of general anesthesia. He contends that a local application is far safer. Many of his colleagues agree with him in principle, but in order for them to agree in practice, they will have to see the theory applied.
Dr. Kane searches for a volunteer, a patient who is willing to undergo surgery while under local anesthesia. A volunteer is not easily found. Many are squeamish at the thought of being awake during their own surgery. Others are fearful that the anesthesia might wear off too soon.
Eventually, however, Dr. Kane finds a candidate. On Tuesday morning, February 15, the historic operation occurs.
The patient is prepped and wheeled into the operating room. A local anesthetic is applied. As he has done thousands of times, Dr. Kane successfully performs the surgery. During the procedure, the patient complains of only minor discomfort.
The volunteer is taken into post-op, then placed in a hospital ward. He recovers quickly and is dismissed two days later.
Dr. Kane had proven his theory. Thanks to the willingness of a brave volunteer, Kane demonstrated that local anesthesia was a viable, and even preferable, alternative.
But I said there were two facts that made the surgery unique. I've told you the first: the use of local anesthesia. The second is the patient. The courageous candidate for surgery by Dr. Kane was Dr. Kane.
That’s right! To prove his point, Dr. Kane operated on himself!
The doctor became a patient in order to convince the patients to trust the doctor.
Why He Came
Does that last statement sound like anyone else you know? Let me give you a hint. Think Christmas.
The Great Physician became a patient, in order to convince His patients to trust Him. God became man to show us He loved us.
This is part of the point the Apostle Paul is making in Philippians 2:6-7. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
When you ponder this, it’s nothing short of amazing! However, there’s more. Vs. 8 continues, “When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Jesus became man not only so we could trust Him. He became a man so He could save us.
Jesus became man not only so we could trust Him. He became a man so He could save us.
This is what we celebrate these days. And this is why we celebrate these days.
PRAYER
Lord, I am utterly amazed at the lengths You went to in order to gain our trust. I’m even more amazed at the lengths you went to in order to give us life. I bow in worship.
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