In Luke 8 there is a story of a woman who had been unclean for 12 years because of constant bleeding. She was not allowed to participate in temple worship because of this uncleanness, but when she touched Jesus, she immediately became clean.
In the Old Testament, there were rules for quarantining the sick, but there was no technology for them to participate in worship. Also, in the OT when something unclean touched something clean, the clean article became unclean. What a beautiful miracle that Jesus reversed this progression. He makes unclean things clean!
Yet, in this time of mild restrictions that have not curtailed our religious freedoms in the least, when people should be thinking of the wonders of technology that allow us to continue our fellowship, never broken with God and now only slightly affected with others, we do not think about the poor woman who was isolated for 12 years, but we instead focus on ourselves - our petty lawsuits, our "constitutional" rights, and not the well-being of others.
The Bible has much more to say about those who are clean, but we know for certain that none of them can be snatched from the Father's hand. I choose to not fight, nor be indignant, about these light and momentary afflictions that restrict our foot washing, but to be grateful that my head and my hands have already been washed (especially my hands - lots of clean hands...)!
Although I pray we need not see this in our time, I ask that we consider Hab. 3:17-18 as the salve for the "clean" who suffer during times of trouble.
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
In the Old Testament, there were rules for quarantining the sick, but there was no technology for them to participate in worship. Also, in the OT when something unclean touched something clean, the clean article became unclean. What a beautiful miracle that Jesus reversed this progression. He makes unclean things clean!
Yet, in this time of mild restrictions that have not curtailed our religious freedoms in the least, when people should be thinking of the wonders of technology that allow us to continue our fellowship, never broken with God and now only slightly affected with others, we do not think about the poor woman who was isolated for 12 years, but we instead focus on ourselves - our petty lawsuits, our "constitutional" rights, and not the well-being of others.
The Bible has much more to say about those who are clean, but we know for certain that none of them can be snatched from the Father's hand. I choose to not fight, nor be indignant, about these light and momentary afflictions that restrict our foot washing, but to be grateful that my head and my hands have already been washed (especially my hands - lots of clean hands...)!
Although I pray we need not see this in our time, I ask that we consider Hab. 3:17-18 as the salve for the "clean" who suffer during times of trouble.
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.