As fallen humans, we are no strangers to disease; even when we are healthy, we know that sickness and death could come at any minute. But what we often don’t see is the sickness of our souls. We don’t realize that we are “wretched, pitiable, poor, and blind;” we are oblivious of the way sin pervades and perverts our whole being. “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds.” There is no cure that can ever be devised for such a sickness; the only viable treatment plan for this most chronic of diseases is death. And Christ, knowing this as He knows all things, “took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” He died, and in His death we find our cure; our sin killed Him so that He could kill our sin. He not only gives us the diagnosis, but dies and lives again to procure the cure for us! “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
“What is your beloved more than another?” —Song of Sol. 5:9