Generally speaking, my life seems to roll along at a somewhat fast pace. I am finding that in this particular stage in life, we seem to move from one event or meeting to the next. You name it – band concerts, choir concerts, sports practice, counseling appointments, leadership meetings, church events, and even crammed in family events all seem to be vying for the one thing that seems hard to come by – TIME.
How strange to have been speeding along in this “normal” only to now suddenly, with the rest of the world, have the majority of our engagements canceled. No concerts. For many of us, no work or school. Everything changed in a matter of hours.
Certainly, we are not the only family who is struggling a bit to figure out what this current “normal” looks like. Even within the walls of this home, there seems to be a different understanding of what we are supposed to be doing to help slow down the spread of this nasty virus. The information has been thrown at us so quickly. There is little to no trust for our media, and frankly, that has impacted how well we have paid attention to what they are saying. It’s sort of like “The Boy Who Cried, Wolf.” Even now I find that I can only take small doses of listening and reading about it all without becoming completely frustrated by the continual political bashing which seems crudely out of place in a time of global crisis.
We don’t need to be judging those in leadership right now. We need to be praying for those in leadership right now. All leaders. Everywhere. We should be coming before our Heavenly Father and asking Him to provide wisdom and discernment that only He can provide. We should be asking Him for our leadership to have hearts that are softened toward Him and for ears that will listen to Him speak.
We should be stepping up our conversations – our prayers – to God. For most of us, this time of being home-bound has exponentially increased our free time. What are we doing with it? Are we filling it up with garbage in an effort to remain busy? Or are we filling it up with what can truly benefit us and others both in the immediate time and in the future? Are we growing in our relationship with God? Are we increasing our understanding of who He is by spending time in His Word? In conversation with Him? Or are we continuing to convince ourselves that we just don’t have time for Him?
Friend, if I told you that a cure for the Coronavirus existed, would you not seek it out? Would you not do whatever it took to get ahold of that cure for you and your loved ones? You would. We all would. Even if it came at a great cost to us. But we have One who holds the cure! We have One who can supernaturally – miraculously – save us from all disease! Are we going to Him – asking Him for it? Or are we sort of hoping that someone else will go to the Father for us?
The Word of God is full of scriptures about God’s desire for His children to come to Him asking for Him to meet their needs. Are you asking? Are you believing that God is the One who can meet this need? Or are you relying on mankind to do it?
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24) “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)
Friend, our God is a good God. Evil still exists. Disease still exists. Even death still exists. Yet none of these hold power over our God. Not one. This is why we should be intentional about investing our time and energy into seeking Him, knowing Him, speaking to Him, listening to Him, praising Him, and looking to Him. The opportunity to slow down and invest has presented itself. Now the question is will you do it?
Blessings!