Sunday April 19, 2020
How are you holding up?
I mean really…seriously. Not the fluff that you pawn off on your friends or even your spouse. Deep down, how are you coping with this new Covid-era reality? Have you teased out some take-away’s like you would gently comb through a knot in your hair? What have you learned?
The Covid lock-down has had some interesting effects on me. I don’t remember a time in my life ever that I’ve had this much silence. Normally we’re dealing with long work days, jam packed calendars, limitless commitments, meetings. Non-stop busy.
Funny, when I look at that list it’s both activity and noise but in my head it all feels like noise. Does it for you too? And now, silence.
Before Covid hit, our church was navigating through discussions about quieting our schedule and placing a pause on some events in an effort to take a Sabbatical. We recognized our need to hear from the Holy Spirit and re-align with the will of God for our congregation and our community. The bottom line was that we realized all the busy, even in the name of the Lord, wasn’t necessarily what he was asking of us.
We wanted to stop. To listen.
Then Covid hit and everything came to a hard stop.
Not being able to meet together at church has exposed something interesting…that the cornerstone of our faith has always been Jesus! It should never have become the bricks and mortar, the fellow believers we meet with each Sunday, the many programs we run or the pastor. If we made any of those things our cornerstone then we’re feeling very lost right now.
I’ve been challenged to reset my heart and mind. Is Jesus first, is he my cornerstone I ask myself? If the answer is yes (which it is), then what is my response to this crisis?
Part of answering that question was to ask myself another question…what have I learned?
Here’s my personal learning-list:
- There’s more food in my house than I realized. I can cook weird and wonderful things with the food I already have, I don’t need to be milling around the grocery store 3-4 x a week
- I’ve been wasteful. From toilet paper, soap and shampoo to bread crusts and left overs, the misconception that there would always be more fueled a consumption greater than the need
- I am desperately lonely for my loved ones. Not being able to hug and kiss my kids and their little’s makes my heart hurt. Physical separation creates a vacuum of emptiness that gnaws at my thoughts every day.
- My house can feel like a prison or a refuge all at once, on the same day, sometimes in tandem.
- How quickly my good will towards mankind turns into suspicion when buying groceries and someone comes too close to me or coughs in my direction.
- Who my true friends are. I’m so thankful for deep bonds that strengthen me, encourage me, push me, pull me, love me.
- I don’t miss the rat race, I like the quiet. I like the time of contemplation and reflection, the ability to read a book or do a puzzle without cramming it in between other more pressing matters.
Ok I could go on but you get the picture. From that list came some good stuff…my response.
Matthew 6:26 says “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (ESV) So if my heavenly Father is going to take care of me, then I don’t need to hoard or accumulate. My response is to share, not sparingly but with wholehearted generosity.
Waste not, want not has been echoing in my mind for the past month. I can do with less, I can use less, I can live on less. I can shake off the all consuming consumerism that has wrapped it’s fingers around my heart. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 (ESV) My response is to live in contentment with all the Lord has blessed me with.
Friendships have become even more precious to me now and I’m reminded that they truly are a gift from the hand of the Lord. Proverbs 17:17 says “A friend loves at all times”. My response is to connect intentionally with more than just the few I hold dearest.
Pre-Covid, my schedule ran me. I’ve taken it back. My highest priority and most worthy calling is to meditate on the word of God. If I do as Philippians 4:8 teaches me, my outlook on life will change drastically and will transform my impact in the world because it will lead people right back to Jesus. It says “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about those things.” My response is to fill my heart and mind with more and more of Jesus so there’s no room left for anything else.
You’ve got time, can you identify your own Covid life lessons?
I’m praying for you today. Isaiah 26:3-4 is so encouraging:
“You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord
is the Rock eternal.” (NIV)
Blessed be the name of the Lord.