Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 (ESV)
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 (ESV)
What a year the last couple of weeks have been! The Sunday after the tornado, my wife and I went walking around our Little League park, and watched so many children and their coaches practicing and running and throwing and hitting and laughing. One field even had adult men and women training to be umpires. Training. To. Be. Umpires. Who knew that was even a thing?
A week later, those fields are deserted. Seasons suspended. What a tornado couldn't do, a pandemic has. It's like we've been thrown into a giant Jumanji game. People working from home, or as I like to put it "Working from houses to antagonize their spouses"! Everyone knows someone or three that has either contracted or been exposed to COVID-19. And places of worship, normally a haven of peace in a time of turmoil, are suspending meetings in order to stem the spread of the virus.
What are we to do? The verses above offer some guidance, but seem to stop short of God taking the problem away. "you will have tribulation", "through the valley of the shadow", "surpasses understanding". In all of this, God is not the author of pain and suffering, but promises to be there with us through the suffering. Remember Job? It wasn't God who sent the troubles, but rather watched and waited with Job as he came through to the other side of those troubles. So we know that God is always there, ready to take our hand and lead us through as soon as we ask. (Which Job didn't by the way. Just sayin'.)
Even so, it is very easy to feel isolated and alone. How do we reach out? This is where social media, so much of a isolating presence in modern society, can actually become useful for something other than cat videos.
Pastors, do you have access to a phone with video? Live stream your worship service, however downsized it my be. Continue to share the Word and Heart of God.
Church members, does your church have a Facebook or Twitter account? Use it to connect with each other, encourage each other, pray for each other, share each other's needs and sorrows and joys. We could actually become more like a "family" of God than we ever have been, and not just spectators.
A.W Tozier once said, "Worshipers never leave church...we carry our sanctuary wherever we go." There is also a hymn in the United Methodist hymnal that goes "I am the Church. You are the Church. We are the Church together. All of God's people, all around the world, yes, we're the Church together." Now is the time to show it.
If you have been quarantined (self or otherwise) then another verse may apply.
"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
In our busy life, we often go non-stop until we drop. Now is the time to rest. Now is the time to relax in Him. Take the time to read, listen to music, study, pray. Or as a friend of mine once said, "Sometimes, you have to just sit and watch the cobwebs grow."
In all things, God promises to make good come from the bad. We can't see it because we don't have the view God has. We can only see darkness and sorrow. But joy comes in the morning. Amen. Even so, come quickly. Amen.
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