And when Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:17

Nobody ever came to play with Vivian Keith.

That line is always sad when it describes a child. It is especially so when you understand that two-year-old Vivian doesn't have a lot of playmates because she is fighting cancer in the isolation unit on the ninth floor of St. Louis Children's Hospital. Last February she was diagnosed with leukemia and has spent the long months of her short life in those antiseptic surroundings.

And what does a two-year-old do to pass the time in such difficult surroundings?

In Vivian's case, she watches the workers who are constructing another building outside her room. Yes, she watches and she waves and she makes faces. Greg Combs, one of the iron workers who saw Vivian and waves back to her, commented, "She was sweet and made us smile."

Last month Combs and another fellow, Travis Barnes, decided to do more than wave.

Wanting to brighten Vivian's day they put up a girder, and on that girder they had written the words, "Get well soon." Now, at the age of two, Vivian can't read. Even so, when the workers' sentiment was shared, she was made most happy. This was her girder, and those well wishing words would always be there. Long after she had been released, long after the girder was surrounded by finished construction, the thought would remain: Get well soon!

You know, the Lord has said the same thing to us.

When the Lord said, "Get well soon," He wrote it on a wooden cross and not on a metal girder.

Having seen us in our lost and lonely state, knowing we were condemned by our sins and helpless to do anything to heal ourselves, He sent His Son to this earth to be our Savior. "Get well soon" was the message behind the song of the angels the night Jesus was born. To get us well soon is what Jesus was working for when He turned down the devil and fulfilled God's Commandments. To get us well soon is what made Him endure the lies, the beatings, the whippings, and the taunts.

When Pilate hung the sign which read, "Jesus, King of the Jews," the Lord hung another sign. God's sign, visible only with eyes of faith, said, "Get well soon." The day Jesus died, one of the thieves saw that sign and ended the day in paradise. Since then, countless others have seen and believed that the Savior has rescued them.

They have trusted the Lord's grace which says, "I can get you well now!"

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I come to you as a sinner. But I rejoice that You, having seen my lost condition, have, in Jesus, provided the medicine that forgives every transgression and heals every soul that was sick. For this I give thanks and pray others may know Your grace. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Isaiah 32-33    Romans 3

To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select "Save Link As" or "Save Target As" or "Download Linked File As"