“The times have changed and the times are strange. Here I come, but I’m not the same.” Ozzy Osbourne
by Don Thomas
It was just a week ago. That’s hard to believe right now…but a week ago, things were still fairly “normal.” Now…no one really knows what “normal” is! Sports…school…business…interaction…it’s all different. How do we respond?
STOP. LOOK. LISTEN.
STOP. We didn’t WANT to stop. We all LIKE the frenetic, hurried pace at which we run our lives. But the things that have happened in the last week ARE making us stop. Stop the meetings and the obligations. Stop the noise and the rushing. People have told us for a long time to slow down…but this situation is making us STOP. Breathe. Pray. Ponder. Read.
LOOK. Look around at what we HAVE. When things go wonky, the first response is to look at what we “DON’T HAVE”. ‘We don’t have safe places! We don’t have control. We don’t have enough TOILET PAPER!’ But the reality is…we HAVE a bunch! We are VERY well taken care of in our community: from our doctors and nurses, to our schools & lunches, to our family and friends! We HAVE safety and freedom! We may be holed up in our homes, but we are still free people! And we probably have enough toilet paper!
But take time to LOOK AROUND YOU! See the vulnerable near you-do your Elderly neighbors need you to run to the store for them? Does that Single Mom stress about childcare? Does that small business look empty! This is the EXACT time that we need to be looking for those in need and BE THE BODY OF CHRIST! We started this year with #bethere and #gothere: we need to BE THERE for our neighbors and our town, and we need to GO THERE to where people are struggling!
LISTEN. Listen to the Government Leaders that are saying to stay inside. Listen to the experts that are saying “Wash your hands”. But even more than that…Listen to the voice of God! Our God has ASSURED us that “He will never leave us and never forsake us!” (Hebrews 13:5) He said, “Don’t be afraid or terrified!” (Deut. 31:6) This is the time we need to listen FOR the voice of God…and TO the voice of God! Spend time in prayer! Join our “Prayer Furnace” movement (see our Facebook page for more info!) and LISTEN IN online to our Saturday and Sunday Services!
This virus did NOT surprise our God. We will continue to walk in FAITH, not fear. We have suspended the activities because we LOVE our Church family…not because we are afraid. Let’s all take time to STOP-LOOK-& LISTEN. These times ARE changed and they ARE strange…but we are #inthistogether and we WILL make it!
Shalom Alachiem,
Don
