How Far?

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Luke 8:43-48

Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, “Who touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.” When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

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Vamonos!

Save me from this prison
Lord help me get away
Cause only you can save me now from this misery
I've been lost in my own place
And I'm getting weary
How far is heaven
And I know that I need to change my ways of living
How far is heaven
Lord can you tell me

Heaven by Henry, JoJo, and Ringo Garza--Los Lonely Boys (2004)

When a younger man, Henry Garza and his girlfriend lost a baby. This song was Henry's way of dealing with the grief. This is a grief few can imagine, a grief no one wants to imagine. The depths of despair are beyond imagination, still, there are millions who know this grief intimately.

The universal cry of despair, "Only you can save me now from this misery."

The woman who had been bleeding for twelve years was dead to her community. She was unclean, she had no place in society, polite or impolite. But she knew, she knew that if she could only touch the fringe of his cloak she could be healed. She knew this was risky, not only for her but for him. If he touched someone who was unclean, he would become unclean too. She was desperate, she was willing to cry out "Only you can save me now from this misery."

She touched him. She was cleansed. She was saved. Her salvation came by his grace and through her faith. It is this wonderful circle of life that brought heaven and earth together with the force of lightning. In this moment, the answer to the question "How far is heaven?" is "Right here, heaven is on earth."

In Christ, heaven and earth collided. In Christ, heaven and earth continue to collide. How far? Right here. It came for her. It is here for us too.