Our Relationship with God- Mark 5:26ff

One of the reasons people tend to see faith as a religion about God instead of a relationship with God is the sense that they are not worthy of the attention of an Almighty God. 

A few months ago I had and encounter with a patient who pointed out that her problems (Sickness) are too small for God to care about. She was wondering why would God care about her while there are much more bigger problems in the world for God to look after.  How can one so great care for one so small.

Have you ever felt that sense of insignificance?  There have been times when I've gazed into the incredible expanse of the setting sun on the horizon, the stars in the sky, the large water masses of the seas, oceans, lakes, and rivers, and felt even so small and insignificant.  Even our planet is hardly a speck of dust in the bigger universe.

And yet, God is attentive to the heartache and suffering of all persons, no matter how insignificant they may seem to the world around them.

Religion can get in the way of a relationship with God.  Faith is not about rules, regulations and religion. It is about we human beings reaching out to a God who reaches out to us through Jesus Christ who reaches into the pain and anguish of our living. As a hospital chaplain I have seen so much pain, anguish, death and all in people who I believe if God never cared, none would make it from the hospital.

The good news for the people in our scripture lesson is that the barriers of health, pain, and death all fall away under the throne of God.

The woman with the flow of blood for 12 years mentioned in Mark 5:25ff, for Jairus and for the little girl who was restored to life as recorded in Luke 8:41-4 - the greatness of God and the good news of Jesus Christ eliminate all obstacles to health and life.

Shouldn’t we be grateful that Christ cares more about our wholeness and our living than he does about our religions, denominations and religious convention?

When we are in anguish and wish for the presence of Christ, we do not need to worry that we are sinners (Romans 3: 23) or that some folks would consider us to be unacceptable. Jesus cared for a woman who was a social reject and for a little girl that was not among the children of his followers. The woman was un-touchable and a little girl about to be forgotten.  How can one so Great Care for one so small?

Material Things Does not Buy a Ticket to Heaven

My first funeral to perform was in my early days in the ministry of a young but well to do man in the community. Because of his status and wealth, he had accumulated during the 45 years he lived it seems that everyone has something to say about his death.During the funeral service, there were many thoughtful eulogies that highlight his incredible life of success; stories that give in details how his passing was unfortunate and yet he and the living could not do anything to stop it; it was not under anyone’s control.
As interesting as many of those stories were, the real story that needed to be told at this point in time, is the story of how each one of us living will stand before God and gave a final account of our life; the story of how no amount of wealth and power could stop that inevitable journey that we will all make someday - Amen.

The deceased young man did indeed have a profound impact on his community, and many of those stories were certainly worth telling, but when someone with lots of wealth and influence passes away, may are the questions that go through our minds unanswered. Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow. Psalm 144:4

Our lives rush by quickly, and regardless of the level of our material achievements during life on earth, death washes it all away and becomes the great equalizer.  Beyond the grave, there are no wealthy people, no celebrities, no social elite, no CEOs- God equalizes them all Matthew 5:3

In the world we live in today, we have a tendency to judge people based on their accomplishments and material success.  However, on the other hand God judges all of us equally according to his perfect standards, and we all equally fail to meet those standards.  It is only by trusting in Christ that we are made acceptable in God’s eyes Matthew 19:24

For the young man in question, with his earthly wealth and influence, he will judged in the same manner and by the same standards as the poorest of those that may have died on the same day. While I acknowledge that all of those stories about his life’s accomplishments were with good wish, let’s not forget that he had a soul, a soul whose eternal fate, good or bad, was taken away just like any other soul will, Job 1:21.

This should be a source of serious contemplation for all of us.  His death should be a sober reminder of how quickly this life goes by.  It should also remind us that we need to store up our treasures in heaven, not on earth, and that ultimately the only thing that truly matters is our relationship with God.

As the officiating pastor during this rich young man’s funeral, I did appreciate many of the incredible stories of his accomplished that were shared, but it’s all meaningless if “he gains the world, but loses his soul,” Matthew 16:26. Yet, I used the moments as a teachable moment to give many among the congregation an opportunity to search their souls and have them put there faith in Christ and not in wealth, accomplishments, firm or any material things of this world.