From the wilderness of lockdown...

​The last six days have been ridiculous.  Last Friday schools were cancelled and from there it seems the world is upside down.  The first few days people were processing what it means to live in a world on pause--a world where social distancing takes the place of handshakes and hugs.  There is a lot of anxiety in the air.  

At first, I was anxious and sad.  I sat in our empty sanctuary on Sunday morning nearly in tears.  I prayed for God to help us...guide us...protect us.  I’ve mostly kept quiet until now--trying to make sense of it all.  Whether one thinks this virus response is overblown nonsense or a serious crisis--this is the time to listen for God’s voice amidst the noise in our minds and hearts.

God is speaking.  He always speaks but we’re often too busy to hear it.  In this time when the brakes have been put on our worldly lives--this is a chance for us to accelerate our spiritual lives. This slower time is an opportunity for us to allow God a greater place in our day.  Seems to me God is offering us the chance to reprioritize our lives--putting him at the top of our list of things to do.  

If your world is radically changed--try making prayer the thing you do in the quiet of the morning when it is just you and God and no other distractions.  Lay your worries at God's feet.  Open your bible to a favorite passage and let it fill your heart and mind in this quiet time.  And for the rest of the day, pray every time your heart feels anxious and angry.  Pray with joy for blessings--for what God has done for you in the past.  Pray, be creative in doing good, and trust in the Lord's will.

These days may seem like a curse.  But they are an opportunity to reassess life’s priorities and practices.  When we seek God’s face we will hear him speak.   His voice is a song of hope even when all things seem dark.

May God bless and keep you,
Barry