The boys and I started listening to the third Luke Reports today, and while I was listening I got this picture of Jesus raising the dead and healing the sick. I realized how scandalous that was in His day--to touch someone unclean (because of illness) or dead (very unclean!), caused the person who touched them to also become unclean. This restricted them from worship, and in many ways from society, since no one else wanted to "catch" the uncleanness. Seems like a silly rule for us. How legalistic!
I am coming to understand and believe more and more that every aspect of our physical lives here on earth is a breathable, livable, touchable picture of spiritual realities. We humans need board books in spiritual matters, better yet the touchy-feely board books, and our loving Father who understands that gave us just what we needed. Unfortunately, we often look at the board books and think they accurately picture real life. We look at the picture--mere fantasy drawings of the real thing--and assume they accurately represent the spiritual realm (if we think about the spiritual realm beyond the fantasy at all).
Much of the covenant with Israel, including their religious laws, festivals, and their very history is a huge part of this picture that God was drawing for us. For a devout Israelite, to exchange being clean for uncleanness was tragic! To become unclean because of disease . . . catastrophic! As I listened to the story today, I imagined God, the essence of purity, holiness, and cleanness . . . reaching out and touching the worst of filth. Death. Disease. Prostitution. Treason. Jesus associated with these kind of people. God associated with these kind of people. Imagine kissing a corpse. I've lost both my mom and my dad, as well as many other relatives and friends, and I couldn't even bring myself to touch them, much less kiss them! Imagine hugging on an AIDS patient (yes, I know, it isn't passed that way!), or someone with Hepatitis, or some other VERY contagious disease. Imaging hanging out with a Main Street hooker. Imagine going out of your way to befriend a traitor to your country who wasn't even sorry about the danger or difficulty he imposed on your family by doing so. Isn't this what Jesus did? And all the while He claimed to be God!
Yet . . . as I really stop to think about it . . . even this is just a picture. You see, I was dead. I was so diseased, if anyone had known how bad I was, they wouldn't have wanted me near them. I was the prostitute; I was the traitor. And God Himself reached down from Heaven and touched my uncleanness. No one else would even look at me. I was the beggar on the side of the road, and no one had the time to look at me. Truth is, I didn't even want to look at myself. But God had never taken His eyes off me. He stopped all of Heaven and reached out and touched me. The epitome of spiritual purity touched the dirtiest sinner--me. He gave me life, healed me completely, and accepted me as His bride. How do I wrap my brain around that?
I wonder what the dead guy did after Jesus restored him to life . . . or what became of the one who was healed. Did he live life differently, or was it back to life as normal? Did he have a heart for others in need? What did he think of this Jesus who had touched him? What am I to do with this? How can I live for myself? How can I think there is anyone who is unworthy of my time, assistance, love, help?
What do I do with Jesus? |
