Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
As September and the beginning of Fall are upon us, we find ourselves in many circumstances that we could not have imagined a year ago. In the midst of all of this, I think that the Holy Spirit has been working on me, trying to refocus my faith on the Lord. I’m hoping and thinking that the Holy Spirit has been working on you as well.
When someone talks about COVID-19, I’m wondering what comes to mind for you. Does it make you angry, fearful, or defensive? Have you been rebellious toward efforts to keep you and your loved ones safe? I think that we have all been impacted and are struggling by the changes around us…AND…I believe that God can use these days for good, with us, and in spite of us.
I have been challenged to change my negatives toward the changes, challenges, and opportunities into an invitation…COVID is a word that often reminds us of an unseen virus that is causing much turmoil in our lives. What if we might reframe our ideas and attitudes and focus on another perspective?
What about imagining God inviting us, “Come On, Venture Into Deeper Divinity?” Maybe you could do a better invitation with the letters, but what if we all ventured deeper into God’s divine presence? What if we used some of our grumbling time for gratitude time? What if we examined our own hearts, minds, and souls instead of judging, condemning, and being unkind to others? What if each of us drew deeper into our relationship with the Lord, instead of regressing?
When we have used John Wesley’s first of three simple rules, “do no harm,” as a rule for the TAM regulations, to keep others safe, not everyone has gotten on board. Frankly, I have been harmed personally by the unkind communications from a number of places and individuals. I know that many of you have also been harmed by people’s words and deeds recently as well. I have wondered many times, where is God in this? I am sometimes surprised to find people who call themselves Christians (in our churches) saying the most hurtful things to and about others. The song says, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” not by our harmful words, our negative posts on Facebook, our talking about others behind their backs, or unfair judgements of our neighbors (many of them we really don’t even know). Scripture calls us to relationships of speaking truth in love to one another.
What a wonderful opportunity we have to examine our own minds, hearts, and souls. Is the world seeing Christ in us? Are others drawn to the Love of Christ because of our lives? God is really working on my attitude as I try to keep my 87- year-old mother safe. How am I honoring her with my impatience and quick angry words? I am seeing what I need to work on for myself instead of determining who else doesn’t align with my ideas. Mercy!
I was reminded of a poem from years ago entitled, “Cancer is So Limited” by Dr. Robert L. Lynn. I have been impacted by the poem many times in my life and ministry. Allow me to substitute COVID-19 in place of the word cancer. Many thanks to Dr. Lynn for the framework for these thoughts that may serve and bless us at many times.
What COVID-19 Cannot Do
COVID-19 is so limited.
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot eat away peace.
It cannot destroy confidence.
It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot shut out memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot reduce eternal life.
It cannot quench the Spirit.
How then, shall we live? “Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord…to the cross where thou hast died.”
In the precious name of Jesus, Sylvia
P.S. Is God honored by the way we are loving our neighbors? This is the most important thing, after all!
