Good morning…
Yesterday was my day to get my first COVID vaccine. As I walked from square to square, each six feet apart, I felt like a kid in a cake walk at an elementary school fair. Lots of people. Lots of hope. Lots of quiet excitement. Skin color, body type, and ages varied, but collectively a bunch of us – silent strangers – overlapped in the same efficiently-organized space. By the end of our short wait, we all left as “winners” with our vaccine cards scheduled for our second dose.
In regards to our emotions, our thoughts, and our experiences, there are tons of vaccine variants. Some “strongly agree” with the process; others “strongly disagree.” Like anything optional, some say “yes, please” and others say “no, thank you.” Those straddling in the middle might take it, might leave it. Embodying wide variation, I love our God-given freedom to feel, to think, to experience our own choices as we inch our way to healed wholeness.
Until the time when we were mature enough to respond freely in faith to the living God, we were carefully surrounded and protected by the Mosaic law. The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will really get to the place they set out for.
But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ’s life, the fulfillment of God’s original promise.
In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous “descendant,” heirs according to the covenant promises (Galatians 3:23-29, MSG).
The living Christ comes alive in our mixed feelings, our creative thoughts, and our different daily decisions. We are each invited into direct relationship with the Almighty who is fulfilling eternal promises amid our variety. All equal. No dividing labels. Our bond of healing power surges directly from the Divine – God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit – who gives every breath to each and every person.
So how could he possibly condemn us since he is continually praying for our triumph? (Romans 8:34, TPT).
“Not only does the Holy Spirit pray for us, so does Jesus Christ,” explains the verse’s footnote. “Two divine intercessors are praying for you each day. Two-thirds of the Trinity are actively engaged in intercession for us. This is typified by the incident of Moses interceding on the mountain for Israel’s victory with one hand held high by Aaron (the high priest, a type of Jesus, our High Priest) and Hur (or ‘light,’ a metaphor for the Holy Spirit, who prays with divine illumination for our good). See Exodus 17:9-13; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24.”
“Who could ever divorce us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One?” asks verse 35. “Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love.”
Amid multiple vaccine variants, the endless love of God is gradually healing whole our mysterious mosaic.
…Sue…
