Love will keep us apart!
Love is complicated.
On one hand, love draws us together. Our love for others means we want to be with them, to know them, to serve them, seeking their good. This is why we rearrange our diaries, say no to other opportunities, leave our cosy couches and meet together with Christian people. This is how the apostle Paul felt about his Christian brothers and sisters (Romans 1:11-12, 1 Thessalonians 2:17 & 3:10). It is also what God tells us to do (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Sometimes, however, love will keep us apart.
Some of us may regard self isolation, social distancing no singing, etc as an unnecessary over-reaction. Some may imagine that we are immune or that it won’t matter that much if we catch the virus. Some may resent their personal (or religious) freedom being controlled by the state. Most of us are longing to once again be physically close to each other. Yet love will keep us apart.
Love is our sacrificial commitment to the good of others. This is how God loved us in Jesus Christ (John 3:16), which is what love is (1 John 4:7-12).
When we are once again able to gather for church, there are various good reasons to be COVID Safe (eg. to obey the governing authorities, to avoid fines, not to bring the name of Christ into disrepute). Ultimately though, we are motivated by love for at least three groups of people.
- The vulnerable. I know of one godly woman who feels isolated and longs to be with other Christians, yet she has decided not meet face to face at this time. She lives with her elderly mother and will sacrifice her own desires for the sake of her mother. That is love.
- The sensitive. Some of us are particularly conscious of the need for safety, and fearful of gathering in groups. It would be very sad if those people were not able to gather for church because of our failure to be COVID Safe. In Romans 14 Paul calls on those who know the freedom they have to eat all foods to bear with those whose conscience won’t allow them the same freedom (Romans 14:13-15). The apostle himself gave up his own rights so that others could be saved (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
- The community. Our motive to be COVID Safe is not just that we won’t catch the virus, but that we won’t spread it. This is love not only for our church family, but for entire community around us (Romans 13:8-10).
In Galatians 5:13-14 we read: For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbour as yourself.
Love will bring us together, but as we gather together love will also keep us apart.