I had to turn off the news over the weekend. As information poured in I felt overwhelmed, fearful, knowing the coming week would hold new challenges.
Because we were supposed to be out of town last week, my husband had taken off work and, thankfully had been home with us as this pandemic cancelled all of our plans and took hold of our nation. His calm presence calmed me and I am so thankful I wasn’t alone to navigate the information that flooded the TV and radio.
But today he is back at work. He is in the medical field, so it feels like he is being deployed. He rose early, kissing me while I was still asleep but I awakened with a prayer on my lips.
“Protect him, Lord.“
So many of our loved ones are on the front lines and, though I have certainly been praying, I’ll admit having my beloved step into the fray has upped my prayers a big notch.
Isn’t that human nature? We get real with God when the issue is personal. We stop saying placid, benign prayers and fall on our knees with a cry for mercy when the ones whose faces light up our days are smack in the middle of the fight.
And maybe, just maybe, that is what God is trying to do. Maybe He is forcing us to stop “saying prayers” and start actually praying. He is not satisfied with going through the motions and wants us to draw away from the noise of the world to spend long, heartfelt hours on our knees…on our faces. Diving deep into the scriptures.
How big are my prayers? Do I really believe He is listening? Am I filtering what I see on the news through the truth of Scripture? Yes, there is a new virus sweeping across the earth but the Holy Spirit was here FIRST.
This is not the first plague God’s people have faced. This is not the first time His children have been forced to isolate in order to protect themselves and their families. But there are some God is calling to emerge, to wisely go into the battle, armed with truth, and fight. Many will fight through the power of the internet–a tool previous generations did not have! But, however He calls us, we must engage and refuse to back down no matter what is happening “under the sun.”
I ask again, how big are your prayers? Are you meekly whining because this is hard or are you boldly crying out to God on behalf of a world that is suddenly faced with their mortality and uncertainty of the future? Are you using this time to binge on movies and junk food or to binge on, literally eat, the word of God? Friends, we have an opportunity to grow exponentially in the Spirit during this season!
Please, don’t let this time pass without being able to measure your spiritual growth in feet, not inches.
Don’t go back to life as “normal” without a face glowing radiant from time spent in the presence of God.
Don’t waste this. Take care of yourself. Get up and get into the Scriptures early, before the children rise. Pray earnestly, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Recognize and operate out of HOPE, not out of fear.
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Cor. 1:18
There are millions of people who are hurting and afraid today. Too many do not know where to turn for hope. But you and I know where they can turn. You and I know that this world is not our home. We have a hope waiting for us, an anchor for our soul. Life may return to “normal” when this is all over, but it may not.
Let’s get real. Let’s pray like our lives depend on it. Because, the truth is, without Jesus we are all lost.
The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
This is our chance to see God work. Though we may be immobilized in the normal way we go about our days, the Spirit of God is NOT. He is free as ever and moving about the earth in order to bring the lost into the Kingdom. Oh Father, revive us. Awaken the world to the beauty that lies in you. Let your people come together as one, loving and sharing with one another, reaching out to those who are afraid and in need.
This is our chance. This is our time.
All for the glory of God and the good of the Kingdom.
Pick up your sword.
A Life of Simple Joys 