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?
