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Each day is more surreal than the one before; this reordering of norms due to COVID-19’s  continuing spread. Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the day on which we traditionally wave palm branches and sing “Hosanna in the highest,” but many of us did not get to do that. As is becoming the norm for many congregations, worship services were virtual experiences; as will probably be the case with the other rituals of this week. Maundy Thursday and the foot washing, Good Friday and applying of the ashes and the silence and fasting of Holy Saturday- all done virtually if at all.

I will say one thing though. We humans created by God in His image,  are if nothing else a resilient species. Faced with the unimaginable- an enemy we can not see-,  we continue to evolve and find strategies for survival that reflect the spirit of our heavenly Father. Paul’s encouragement to Timothy resonates for us in this season, “For God did not give us a spirit of fear (timidity), but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7) Voices ring out  reminding us a spirit of fear is not the best game plan for fighting this virus. Fear cripples and distorts; it brings out the worse rather than the best of our humanity. A fearful people are not what God created us to be.

God’s spirit prevails during this war we did not expect. It is His spirit of love that inspires the efforts of so many to volunteer; to keep serving on the front lines of the battle in our hospitals and nursing homes and care facilities despite the threat to their own well-being; to feed the homeless and the school children whose only meals are those provided by the school lunch programs; to sew and give away masks. His spirit of power rather than powerlessness prompts the urgent efforts to find the cure and the vaccine to combat this pandemic.

And finally,  I think He desires for us to be self disciplined in all of our efforts. He is not a God of chaos or confusion. He imparted a spirit of self discipline in the make up of our character. It is there for us to claim if we will.  He did not make us robots or  droids. We have free will to claim what He has given. The weapons to defeat this invisible enemy are already ours. May we individually and collectively embrace them, and in so doing bring COVID-19 to its knees.

The ladies who facilitate the prayer line on Thursdays always open with a cheerful greeting and welcome to another “Thankful Thursday.” Maybe because it’s Thursday,  I thought of that hashtag as I typed the header for today’s post. There are probably a lot of folk who awaken this morning not feeling so thankful; and in their minds for good reason. On many fronts, things are tough: layoffs and shortened work hours, first of month expenses looming, the official announcement that schools are done for the year, stay or shelter in place pronouncements, and the continuing climb of the coronavirus statistics. These and many other hardships can leave little room for thanksgiving.

Whether we are among those who have tested positive for the virus or those fighting for survival in ICUs,  or those who are on the front lines providing medical treatment and care, or those who are quarantined or self-isolated, or those who are cut off from physical contact with loved ones in hospitals or nursing facilities and unable to monitor their care or advocate for them, or those who are simply trying to make do day to day as the pandemic drags on, we must resist the tug of thanklessness. It is a spirit designed to blur our vision such that we look at our circumstances through a narrow lens. When we do that, we limit what we see.

Today, I think we should embrace the hashtag, “Thankful Thursday” and look intentionally at what we do have to be thankful for. I’ll go first. I am thankful God woke me up this morning; I am thankful I was able to make a 30 minute grocery run masked, gloved and appropriately distanced from the few other shoppers; I am thankful for the quiet time I spent with the Lord earlier in the day and for the peace that devotional time gave me; I am thankful for the virtual visit with my son, and though it was brief, I still saw his face and he mine and I was able to alert staff when he needed help; I am thankful for the daily devotional a sister friend sends me,  and which I share with family and friends; I am thankful for the health and strength I enjoy; and I am thankful that God inspires the writing of these posts. Now I could go on and on-it’s something about naming the things for which you are thankful that opens a thanksgiving outpouring.

It’s your turn.  If you’re feeling down or dispirited or sad or afraid, take a moment or two to quieten yourself. Close your eyes if you have to and then just start naming the things for which you are grateful, the things the Lord has been gracious in granting you. Even it’s only one or two, it’s better than none. And if you name them and widen that lens through which you view life, over time you’ll find “Thankful” is not just a Thursday hashtag, it’s for every other day too.

Love. Joy. Peace.

Recall when April 1 was a day of pranks and “gotcha” exchanges with your friends, family and even coworkers?  Though more common among young people,  adults too joined  in the “April Fool”  antics that brought laughter and lightness to the routines of the day.  Not so this April 2020. Such traditional foolery seems inappropriate during a coronavirus pandemic. Yes, toilet paper scarcity and befuddled parents masquerading as teachers bring a smile or chuckle via YouTube. And in times like these, wholesome laughter can be healthy. Nonetheless this first day of April continues to shatter societal norms as the numbers continue to spiral; each one more than just a digit, but a human being infected with the disease or dead from the disease.

It’s not my Interruptions devotional that prompts reflection and introspection this morning, but one from another I regularly read. The pastor who authors the pieces entitled today’s, “When We Seek God.”  It was his last sentence in the opening paragraph that got my attention and pointed me in the ensuing direction. His question: “What am I seeking most in life?” A great query considering the tenor of  the times. I imagine most  responders would likely make reference to an end of the pandemic, and a quick return to life as it was before. However, I think it’s a question that especially during a pandemic or anything that disrupts our life and our norms can help us look more closely at what matters most. The best way to do that is to reflect upon the things that mattered most to you pre pandemic. Was it your family or personal relationships? Your health or lack thereof? Your possessions or lack thereof? Your job or lack thereof? Your social status or lack thereof? What mattered most was whatever you spent time, effort,  and resources pursuing.

If our pursuits were/ are anything less than a closer, more authentic relationship with God,  then we were/are about the wrong things. Christians are called to seek first the kingdom of God (the rest will be given as He so wills). This current pandemic can be the match that lights the fire in us to once and for all time, cement what we know of Him (by studying His word); establish real fellowship with Him( achieved through deliberate, intentional quiet time with Him); and obey Him by allowing ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit.

So, how does a believer in Jesus respond during a pandemic to the aforementioned question? “Glad you asked”, as preachers often say. Believers answer, “I am most seeking in life to walk in the Lord’s will during this time of crisis, mindful that He remains in control and I need not fear, to seek His guidance and wisdom even more than I do Google’s, to spend quarantined or isolated or distanced times reaching out to others who are struggling, spiritually or emotionally to help them cope if I can, to look for the sunshine behind the clouds knowing my faith is based upon what is unseen to the natural eye,  and to continue in the joy and assurance He gives me so that no matter what happens, how much higher the numbers climb or even I or mine fall victim to those numbers , He is Lord of my life and I know the end of the story.

Love. Joy. Peace.

The old saying “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” doesn’t ring true on this final day of the blustery month. The fierce winds of pandemic sweeping across the nation and the world continue. Nothing in them can be described as meek or lamb-like. The month named by the ancient Romans after their god of war Mars, brought not winter’s lessening grasp and spring’s warm embrace, but an ongoing viral battle that to date we are not we winning.

Ten days remain in the 2020 Lenten season. One need not be a theologian to ponder the timing of the onset of this pandemic during the holiest season of the Christian faith. It has interrupted the norms of the season such that my fourteen year old granddaughter lamented,  “How can the church be closed?” Though technology allows live streaming of worship and some churches still gather in traditional fashion, we get what she means. What is this phenomenon that is causing such turmoil? And perhaps as importantly, why is it happening now?

As I’ve written before, my prayer team’s Lenten study book, Interruptions seems more on target now than it did several years ago. These pandemic- induced interrupters of every aspect of human activity give rise to theological ponderings and reflections. Those of us who both profess and attempt to practice our faith have been forced to “take a step back” and look inward at the state of our soul. How well is it? Can we sing with James Cleveland, “It is well, it is well with my soul?” Is that wellness reflected in our responses to this pandemic interruption? Do we accept that God is in control even as the number of infections rise, the necessary supplies needed by the first line responders remain a major concern, the mortality rates climb, the predictions that things will get worse before they get better spill from the mouths of those who are on the front lines, that the end is nowhere in sight despite what  officials proclaim in inept daily briefings?

I’m of the mind that this crisis allowed by God, as cruel as we perceive it to be, has purpose beneath its surface. Has not the fear and anxiety it brought drawn us closer to the Father? Are not our prayers more authentic, our approach to His throne more reverent? Have we not spent more time actually reading and reflecting upon HIs word for ourselves, instead of making do with the Sunday service reading from the pulpit, which we forget all too soon after service is done? Has not the forced social distancing reminded us there are benefits to solitude with its offering of self reflection and seeking the Savior for guidance? Have not our intentions to be in touch with loved ones more often become a new reality as we set aside our own interests to reach out? Are we not discovering some of the busyness of our lives is just that-busyness that fills time, but offers nothing of true worth to life? In many areas, have we not become more discerning, more aware of things we take for granted, without appreciating how fortunate we are on so many levels?

Yes, trials and tribulations are hard; we’d prefer to avoid them altogether. But it is exactly in such times that we grow in character, in the ability to preserve, to test our mettle and come forth refined and strengthened. Such is the time in which we live today, this last day of March 2020.  As we day goodbye to the windy month and look with hope to the springtime of April and May with their themes of rebirth and new beginnings, perhaps we should consider the words of Annie Johnson Flint:  “Jesus Christ is not my security against the storms of life, but He is my perfect security in the storms. He has never promised me an easy passage, only a safe landing.”

I think we understand the coronavirus and its lethal potential. The why is understandable too if we view our current circumstances with eyes that look not at what is seen but what is unseen. Though hidden for the moment,  God’s purposes are always foundational to His will for the world He created.  Our faith should rest easily upon that truth.

Love. Joy. Peace>

 

 

Today marks the 27th day of the Lenten season. We of the Christian faith mark it as a time of somber reflection and inward examination of our spirit and relationship with God. It is a time sacrifice, of mending fences, of humility, of looking beyond our own needs to the needs of others. Lent 2020 has become more than all that. Juxtaposed with the traditions of the season is a worldwide pandemic caused by the coronavirus, aka COVID-19.  Its onslaught has altered our norms and interrupted those traditions. As of this posting, it rages like uncontrolled wildfires. According to news reports, the United States now leads the world in the number of confirmed cases of the virus. If greatestness is measured by who holds the #1 ranking, then we’ve achieved it. America is great again. An awful parody I know, but fitting for the times.

The nation that purportedly is the leader of western civilization in all things now leads it infamously in the number of citizens infected by this virus for which there is yet a cure or vaccine. How did we achieve this standing? With willful ignorance and an inordinate amount of pride- the same pride that  scripture teaches goes before a great fall. Months ago when authorities received the first warnings, it appears little or nothing was done in preparation to stave the infection rates, to equip the medical communities.  What the primary leader of the nation did do is downplay its seriousness. A moment that might have been seized as an opportunity to respond positively was lost. God’s grace was in that forewarning, and pride caused us to squander it. That’s what Pride does – it leans to its own understanding and shuns the guidance God offers if we will but seek it.

All I can say is, if this is what leadership from the executive branch of our government calls making America great again, we’re in for even more pain and suffering and death than we currently are experiencing. I pray for the Lord to have even more mercy upon us all; to lead us out of this quagmire of hubris, transform us,  and give us spirits of humility.  If but for the sake of the few who are righteous, O God, save your people.

Love. Joy. Peace.

I am drawn this morning to Psalm 33 that reads in part:

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the Lord  looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth – he who forms the hearts of all, who considers all they do. … We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts  rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.”

Scriptures such as this one resonate with many in this era of the coronavirus pandemic. As a professed Christian nation, we believe the psalmist speaks to us because of our belief in God’s word revealed in our Bible.  With the onslaught of this pandemic, God has captured our attention and turned us toward Him for solace. As we struggle with the ensuing crisis, we recognize how far away from Him we have allowed ourselves to drift.  He has watched our preoccupation with the secular and neglect of the sacred. But now, our minds and hearts are forced to return to the source of our help, to our fortress in times of trouble, to our refuge in times of distress. In God alone can we trust. And so as we follow new protocols for living and having our being, we more than ever seek His constant love and place our hope in His plans for deliverance. In so doing I also hope we will elevate the sacred to its proper place- above all things secular- in our thoughts, words and deeds.

Love. Joy. Peace.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 If ever this scripture resonated, it does today. Because I believe the psalmist’s words be true, without panic or fear I am able to begin each day with gratitude; to turn on the television and hear the experts, government officials and pundits continue their ongoing conversations regarding the coronavirus’  increasing negative impact upon the world.  Because God is my refuge, I can move into the day, mindful of the recommended precautions we’ve been advised to take without cowering in a corner of the house, overwhelmed by anxiety and worry. Because God is my strength, I can continue the pursuits He purposes for me with confidence that what He begins He will bring to its proper conclusion. His conclusion, not the world’s. Because God is indeed a help in times of trouble (and surely this pandemic meets that criteria), I know without doubt He is present in this moment of shattered norms. And the fact of His presence leads me to experience the joy He gives; the love He bestows, and the peace He proffers. Pandemics come and go. God not so. He is always with us. What shall I fear? Absolutely nothing!

Love. Joy. Peace.

As the dawn of a morning brings the hope of a fresh start, so Mondays bring the hope of a week of  opportunities.  (acknowledging that the beginning of a week can be fluid, subject to factors too numerous to mention here) This week as the coronavirus pandemic continues to take its toll within and outside our borders,  and responses to it remain tentative or still in negotiation-stages, I am returning to the questions posed in my last post.   Societal norms have been interrupted such that millions face the new week with continuing uncertainty about how best to live, what strategies to employ to avoid contagion, and the greater questions of what rests at the core of this interruption? What divine purpose is being served by this intrusion?

While I don’t claim to be a biblical scholar of seminary training, I do claim my identity as a follower of Jesus Christ, a modern day disciple of the one who turned the world upside down some 2000 years ago with the preaching and teaching of a gospel that lives today.  Such a belief system allows me to look at any and all of life’s challenges beyond their surfaces; to ask the fundamental questions that guide our faith – the questions noted above.

As I’ve noted,  the Lenten study book, Interruptions, directs us to a different perspective when we face circumstances as we do now. This pandemic has interrupted and disrupted.  But somewhat slowly in the midst of such,  we are discovering that there can be value and lessons inherent in what on the surface appears nothing but devastation. Yes, some are in ICUs struggling to recover; some are quarantined hoping to recover outside the hospital; some have tested positive and are waiting; some as God has allowed have died. These facts and others are threats to our well-being, our sense of safety and security. But alongside the pale of these realities,  characteristics long lost in our modern world are emerging. As Spring 2020 offers its recurrent themes of rebirth, renewal,  hope, and love, the opportunities within this 2020 interruption and disruption offer similar.  Through the technological advances of our times, familial and friendship ties are being renewed; in some instances rebirthed after years of estrangement. Long ago societal practices of intentional caring for the vulnerable in our communities sprout and  like bulbs that are covered in the darkness of the soil come to life in the warmth of Spring. People of professed faith seek to practice it with renewed effort in their actions, and not just their words. Prayer intensifies in churches and synagogues and mosques. Biblical words of hope carry greater weight in times like these. Bibles get dusted and opened! And perhaps most importantly, we of faith communities come to realize that the God in whom we trust, in whom we believe, whom we acknowledge as sovereign over the world He created has not ceased to love us. This pandemic offers us the opportunity to grasp that tenet of what being a Christian really means.  In good times and bad, when tragedy strikes and when the winning numbers fall, whether sick of well, rich or poor, overrun by a virus or virus free, God has not forsaken His people. He loves us.  He may allow circumstances we don’t understand to happen, but He doesn’t allow anything He can’t control to destroy His people. Reflecting upon this Christian truth will see us through. Don’t turn your nose up at the opportunity to do so. Seize today the opportunities this interruption has caused. Love the Lord with all your heart, mind and spirit; and your neighbor as yourself.

Love. Joy. Peace.

On this twenty-second day of Lent, the 40 day devotional,  Interruptions, delves deeper into Jesus’ intrusion into the life of a woman who encounters Him at a well to which she has come to draw water. Because His actions break long-held norms and societal expectations, the woman is caught off guard, shaken, confused and perhaps a little afraid (my inference) – after all, she is a woman alone confronted by a strange man at a place customarily peopled by women.  What is really going on here? What rests at the core of this interruption? What greater purpose is being served by this intrusion?

On the surface the exchanges between the woman and Jesus seem simple. He’s thirsty and tired. She’s in need of water for herself and household. He has nothing with which to draw the water. She has a water jar. She is shocked by his unorthodox manner, of his crossing the lines of acceptable behavior. He is all-knowing of her status in the community and that her needs go far beyond earthly water and the quenching of thirst it offers. But God as always allows nothing to transpire without His purposes being served.  As with every experience of humanity, and in this instance of Jesus’ dual nature, His plans unfold.

From my perspective, the same can be said of this time in human history. On the surface, the raging pandemic can be thought of  another onslaught of a new flu-like virus to which people have no immunity. It has happened before ( H2N2 in 1957-58; 1968 Hong Kong flu; the swine flu epidemic of 2009-2010; the infamous Spanish flu of 1918) But this one feels different, and perhaps because it does and the world’s responses to it have been nothing like I’ve seen my lifetime, I’m inclined to look beneath the surface; to look for the Divine’s purposes.  Oh, I know many will say, ” That’s so unscientific, so doomsday, so baseless in reality, etc.” But those who do fail to receive scripture as a living document; a guidebook if you will, for understanding and responding to the world in which we live, and ultimately to its Creator.

I’ll end here, and pick up this theme next time; examining today’s pandemic within the framework of the questions raised above.

Love. Joy. Peace.