Beloved friends, who would have ever thought we would live through something such as Covid 19? I sure didn’t. I didn’t even think about potential pandemics. Living in Charleston, SC I have had enough to think about when hurricane season rolls around. But after this season of fear, anxiety, and loss of control, I realize that God is up to something and I mean something BIG. He didn’t cause this. We live in a world with illness, disease, sorrow and suffering but Jesus said He has prepared a better place for those who believe in His name. He even said that in His Fathers house there would be many rooms. Places for us as believers to worship God forever. I don’t know how we will even be able to stand on the day He takes us home. We only see in part on earth– His glory that is… but one day we will see Him face to face.
In the meantime…..
There is suffering on this side of the cross
There is loss
Fear, anxiety
Pain
Covid 19
But in the midst of it all, God holds us and carries us, His lambs. As the Great Shepherd He does not forsake or leave us for even a second. How do I know? Think about Jesus, when he heard that his good friend Lazarus had died. He wept! He knew at a deep level the sorrow of losing a friend, and also the sting of death. But He also knew that He was going to the cross so that we would cross the valley of shadow of death and be with Him on the other side.
In the meantime, we need to do more than just cope. We need to thrive. We need to do more than pray the virus will go away. We need to ask the Lord to show us the way as we walk through this valley. And indeed it is a deep valley. A scary place where we must stay 6 feet apart, hear about those who have lost their lives and wonder… what next? When will it end?
My daughter decided she had a solution. Calming gummies. She said that homeschooling three kids and worry over the virus has caused her to start taking two instead of one. I can’t blame her really. She has her hands full and gummies are not lethal or anything:)
So I mentioned that God is doing something BIG in the midst of this pandemic. He is teaching us to lean into Him. He is teaching us that though we walk through the valley, He is there; to reach out and seek Him; to listen to His voice. This morning in my quiet time I was struck at how clearly my head was after being quarantined for a few weeks. All spinning plates on the ground and I even had the time to watch the birds on my bird feeder. Unimaginable just a few weeks ago! The Lord reminded me that He is always near; always whispering but I can’t hear because my spinning plates are making so much noise. What is He doing? He is drawing us back to Himself.
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