You’re stuck at home, well, most of you are. I know there are many of you out there driving trucks, stocking shelves, caring for the sick, protecting our liberty, and thousands of other roles the “stuck at home” are depending on for our basic needs right now. Isn’t it interesting how our perspective on toilet paper, bread, and a simple hug have changed seemingly overnight?
We are going through the most bizarre experience of many of our lifetimes. Many of us just simply do not have categories in our mind for this kind of thing - what do we do when so much of our daily, normal living has been suspended? How do we cope with the worry of an illness that seems to have no end in sight?
I admit I’m nervous. I keep going through all sorts of worst-case scenarios and dooms-day stories… Anyone else? I’m sure you are too.
On a personal level, I’m losing sleep and feeling a tension I can’t seem to overcome. I WANT control. I want answers. I want to have a plan, and I want my plan to work. Today. Now.
But we don’t have answers, and we certainly don’t have control. We are simply reduced down to day-to-day living. And I hate it.
I know there is a huge lesson to be learned here and I’m getting there slowly. I know this daily living was His advice (command) already. One I quickly brush over when reading Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV, emphasis mine):
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Each day does certainly have enough trouble of its own. Yes, Jesus, I am beginning to see.
We don’t know when restrictions will lift, but we can still boldly pray for God to provide an epic breakthrough of massive proportions.
We don’t know if summer camp will be affected by all of this, but we can still do what we can to prepare for a summer of serving people and helping them meet the risen King, Jesus.
We don’t have any certainty about tomorrow, but we can live today as if it counts. Because it does.
Our kids may not know what is going on, but we can make the time special. We can build our families up and show them that they are not a problem or inconvenience, they are a treasure. We can do our best to support business and ministries with our generosity. We can focus on God in a way our busy lives usually don’t allow. We can pray, submit, and ask God for guidance.
And we are.
Let’s live in “today” - not tomorrow, not three months from now. Let’s worship now, love now, and care now.
Ephesians 3:20-21:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
Yes, Amen.
- Prism
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