In God’s love bridges social distancing Joe Iovino reminds us that…
While we may feel a bit alone during this time apart, it is good to remember that God’s love is big enough to bridge the gaps created by social distancing.
In John 4, a father who works as a royal official approaches Jesus and asks him to come to his house to heal his dying son. Jesus replies, “Go home. Your son lives.” On the father’s way home, some people come out from his house to meet him. They say, “Your son lives!”
Curious about what’s happened, the father asks what time his son got better. “The fever left him yesterday at about one o’clock in the afternoon,” they say. The same time Jesus told him his son would live.
Most of the time, Jesus’ healings include some physical contact. He touches a leper. A woman reaches out for the hem of his robe. He makes mud and places it on a blind man’s eyes.
That’s not the only way, however. There’s a similar story about a centurion’s servant receiving a healing from afar (see Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10). Sometimes, Jesus spoke a word like, “Your sins are forgiven,” and a man who couldn’t walk got up off his mat and ambled home. In this story, Jesus didn’t even need to be in the same room.
In this time when a holy handshake or hug is not a good option available to us, let us remember that God’s power is not limited by our social distance.
Rev. Taylor Mills