An Inkling
Today’s headline reads: Richmond
Patient Isolated. People are in
isolation every day in every hospital of our city. Why is this headline news? Because the patient had visited Liberia and
had a fever, and could possibly have Ebola.
And that makes headlines because Ebola breaks all of our rules.
Our rule of thumb is that uncontainable contagion only
happens over there, not here in
America. And when someone from over there comes over here, we figure our superior medical resources will contain
all perils. But then the nurse in Dallas
got Ebola despite all proper precautions, and we realized that this ailment
is breaking our rules. Now we read of a
possible Ebola patient in Richmond, and that she had been to the CrossOver
Clinic, the ministry at which we pray with patients for healing. So Ebola is not so over there as it seems.
Already there are many issues rising, such as how best
to keep medical personnel safe, and the liberty of individuals versus the
public’s need for safety through the forced isolation of those exposed. This is already an interesting (read
“intense”) conversation, especially with multiple media fanning the flames of
fear.
We who follow Jesus bring a different set of eyes to
this whole matter. Paul wrote that we
don’t “grieve as those who have no hope” (1 Thes. 4:13). We can say the same for our caring. And the basis for both is our secure resurrection
life in Jesus.
Our hope is not finally based on the invincibility of
modern medicine, but upon our sure hope of resurrection life in Jesus. It’s that hope which emboldens medical
missionaries to go to Liberia. It’s that
hope which will embolden us to continue our ministries of prayer at CrossOver
Clinic. And it’s that hope which will
give us a different tone of voice in the panic driven conversations arising
around us.
In all of those ways may our hope-full caring point to
the only One who can finally save us from Ebola and every other contagion!
Blessings,
Keith
