Hope Despite the Quarantine
And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
Psalm 39:7
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
Psalm 42:11
Since the COVID-19 lockdown mid-March, I’ve seen a number of memes that resonate: “Quarantine day 1: I have enough food to last me weeks. Quarantine day 2: I’ve eaten all the food”; “Did a load of pajamas so I could have clean work clothes this week”; “Introverts, check on your extrovert friends. We know you’ve trained for this very moment and love it, but the extroverts are suffering!” There’s truth in that last one, but even as an introvert, I’m missing being in the middle of everything at work. Since my whole team has been working from home going on our fifth week now, I’ve set up weekly phone calls so that we can at least chat, in addition to weekly team building questions that range from the surface to more thought-provoking, and we have our first virtual happy hour using Zoom last week. It’s important to stay connected, not just for the productivity of the work, but also for the sanity of the team.
I’m also missing my church family. Again, as an introvert, there are a few times that are challenging for me when we’re all together—my yearning to run to the ladies’ room when we would pass the peace is not a reflection on you; it’s a reflection of a facet of my introversion. I promise! It’s a joy when we’re able to chat a little bit before the livestreaming of the worship service begins, and my heart sings when we all send the likes, loves, and happy emojis during the service.
This may be our new normal for the near future, and we’re all trying to make the best of it. We have come up with new ways to connect with each other; we have learned technologies that other churches had been using that were brand new to us. We now have a YouTube channel (innumerable thanks to Lori Grimes for setting that up)! We have pages on our website for positive distractions and resources for shopping and the like. We very quickly became an online church presence with our livestreaming and enhanced website pages. This crisis, though it may seem like it spoiled or delayed plans, may have actually ignited some technical advances for us! God is good!
What hasn’t changed, and never will, is the steadfast love of Almighty God. And it’s not just His love that won’t change, it’s Him—He will never change. He is immutable, our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. We take comfort and draw strength from the fact that none—absolutely none—of this is a surprise to Him. We don’t worry about if or how He’s going to “figure this stuff out”; it is part of His plan and He already knows how things are going to happen. We must simply do as David says in Psalm 91, and ‘say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”’ And His response?
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
What better comfort, what better promise is there than that? Whether through this new normal or the new normal to come, may we rest in the promise of His rescue and protection. Amen?
Prayer Requests
· For healthcare workers who are giving up time with their families to tend to the nation’s ill
· For government leaders at all levels
· For us to understand the lesson in all of this
· For first responders and their families
· For us to be shine the joy of Resurrection Sunday, where Jesus triumphed over death!
Friends, He has you. He has us. Regardless of everything swirling around you, or even the lack of activity because of the lockdown, He is still on His throne, and He loves us very much. Dwell in the shelter of the Most High, and you’ll rest in the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1).
Quotes
“Never let an earthly circumstance disable you spiritually.”
“While others are congratulating themselves, I have to sit humbly at the foot of the cross and marvel that I’m saved at all.” - Charles Spurgeon
“Sometimes it isn’t about the answer to the prayer. Sometimes it’s more about what you learn while you’re waiting for the answer.”