By Pastor Bob Lawrenz
There is always something that divides the human race. Skin color, ethnicity, nationality, politics, religion, urban/suburban/rural, economics, smokers/non-smokers, and now even a virus is cause for separation and isolation. Just a month ago we would have considered it Elder Abuse to put Nursing Homes, and Assisted Living Facilities in lock-down, and only see loved ones through a window. Schools, businesses, malls, and churches are all closed. Everything and everyone is now a potential health threat if closer than six feet.
Based on the opinions and judgments of our State and National Leaders, our Main Streets and gathering places are all but empty. Only those holding positions deemed essential are out working and serving others.
In the Bible, leprosy was a disease that only God could cure. Lepers were given wide berth on the streets as they publicly cried out “Unclean, unclean” from behind face coverings. In the case of a possibly cured individual, they had to go show themselves to a priest, and scriptures revealed the criteria for declaring a leper to have been healed. And if healed, it was considered to be an act of God. Today we know about blood-borne pathogens and the need to protect ourselves from them.
But leprosy was also considered to be analogous with sin; God had and still has the only cure for it: the blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
Disease and death are in the world because of sin. It corrupted the first couple in Genesis 3, and the entire rest of the Bible is about God’s desire to cleanse us from all sin, and restore fellowship with us. Disease and death can separate us from each other, but sin separates us from God. Come to Christ and restore fellowship with mankind’s Creator. His love is an everlasting love, and it is unconditional.
