Hi everyone,
So things are changing. This coronavirus pandemic doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Cancellations are more prevalent in all areas of life, from school to work to sports and even to church.
Just yesterday we had to move my son’s birthday party from a very public play area to our home where things are a bit more controlled, and still only 60% of the guests show up (3 kids instead of 5 haha). And others are dealing with it in different ways. Some are in full blown panic mode and stocking up on supplies. Others are on full blown take-advantage-of-others mode and buying up all the supplies then selling it at an insane markup. Other still choose to ignore it all, and live life like nothing is happening at all.
But I get it. We don’t know how to react because this hasn’t happened to us before. It is unknown. It is something that we of this generation have not seen on such a global level. And at this point, no one really knows where we’ll end up.
No one, but our God. And I believe God will be God regardless of our understanding or stock of hand sanitizer. We will, by God’s grace, get through this.
Here are the readings for next week:
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Psalm 23
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41
How appropriate that we get a story of healing during this pandemic. But this story isn’t just about a physical healing, but also a social healing. Jesus not only healed the blind man, but he welcomed him back into community. It wasn’t just the man born blind’s eyes that have been opened, but also the eyes of all who cared to see.
It isn’t hard to think of a pandemic like the one we are going through as an apocalyptic event, that all hope is lost, and we are finally being punished for our sin and the sin of our ancestors.
But I believe that in the midst of it all, the fear, the uncertainty, and the cancellations, we can still rely on God and on each other. We can still rely on the gifts of community. We can still rely on the strength of our sisters and brothers, to stand with us against injustice and the gougers, to stand in support of the marginalized and quarantined, to stand for relationship and inclusivity as God has called us to do.
Now is not the time to point fingers at who is to blame. Now is not the time ponder the “what if’s” and “if only’s”. Now is not the time panic and hoard more than we would ever need.
But now is the time to act with grace and peace. Now is the time to be in community with others however that might look like. Now is the time to love fervently, as there are many who will need it.
Peace be with you all as we try to navigate this very difficult situation.
Stay healthy and cautious while trying to enjoy the week.