Jesus suffered and died because sin spread like a Pandemic across His world, leaving it in need of a cure – a Savior!
The Corona COVID-19 Virus has become a Pandemic spreading across our world leaving it once again scrambling for a cure, a vaccine, a definitive end as people are sick and some are dying. Jesus is still that cure. He will provide healing. Has His world turned to Him fervently in prayer? I haven’t seen it yet, not really, not like they ought to be doing.
When Jesus was arrested, the disciples hid, isolating themselves from the crowds in fear. Though they loved Jesus they lived in fear that they too would suffer his fate, just for being identified as having been close to Him. They prayed and worried.
We are isolating ourselves from each other, family, and friends in fear of catching the virus or spreading it to others unknowingly. We are worrying, but are we praying? Really praying?
Currently our faces are covered to help prevent the spread of the virus from us to others, even if we don’t seem to have it. Unfortunately these coverings do not prevent us from receiving the virus from the uncovered mouths or places where it lingers or floats.
The spreading of God’s word by us should be the same. Our faces may be covered, but it should not prevent the spreading of the Word or sharing of prayer. We have phones, computers, tablets, I pads and countless apps and abilities for texting, videoing, talking and sharing the Good News! It is Easter! We should be spreading the story faster than the virus is spreading. Cover the virus not the Word of God. The world needs it now and always.
What have you done to spread the word and share hope during these trying times?
The disciples and many of Jesus’ followers stayed in isolation after Jesus’ crucifixion, still fearing for their safety as well as feeling lost and confused about what to do without Jesus. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to Jesus’ tomb to do what was necessary and customary because these things were essential for a proper burial. They risked everything to do what was right and needed to be done.
Because they buried their fear and continued to do what was necessary and essential, they were the first to receive the Good News that Christ had risen. Along their way, they were the first to see Jesus the risen Lord!
Today as many follow instructions, staying home in isolation and practicing social distancing in order to quell the spread, many, called “Essential Services Workers” are required to work on the front lines to help the sick and to keep all necessary and essential things operating the best they can for the good of all. They are the first to see all the bad as well as the good that happens.
When the storm quells, they will be the first to know that it is real and feel the joy and relief as they spread the news! They will be the first to show true hope for others. They are called upon to put themselves out there for all of us. They need our support and prayer.
Jesus observed the Passover meal and dined with His disciples before His time of trial began, knowing full well what was happening. He took the time and sat around the table with those that had become his students and family.
Our lives had become a crazy, fast paced ordeal before this virus struck. Most families did not even see each other enough to spend an evening once a week at the dinner table together. Granted it may go back to that again when this ends. For now, though, you are isolated at home with your families. You are teaching them, playing with them, watching TV and movies with them, and sharing activities that you may not have done together for a long time. Hopefully, you are sitting with them to eat around the dinner table.
How many times did Jesus tell his disciples and followers, that he would suffer, die, be laid in a tomb, rise again in three days and then go to be seated to rule his kingdom? They never really got it until it was over.
Time with family no matter the circumstances is precious. They will remember this time spent. The question is how will they remember it? That is for you to decide.
Be a witness of God’s love to your families in this time, whether parent or child After all, it is the faith of children and its doubtless strength and belief that Jesus tells us all to aspire to have.
Now is the time! This Easter may not be the big event with your larger groups of family and friends that you had originally planned. Do something to make your family’s Easter special. Next make a video of your Easter fun. Share that video online and tag all your missing family and friends in it so they can see how your family celebrated Easter and the Risen Lord. Then encourage your friends and family to do something and post their fun. Then as this goes on you could turn this exercise into a family fun time weekly.
This is not the worst of times, but only a difficult and different time. Christ is still with us and He will lead us through this. The events that created these circumstances are not good but that does not mean we cannot make good out of the bad.
We will remember this Pandemic and that there was illness and death and fear. We will also remember that there was family, community, new opportunities, and new ways of worship that may have reached even more people. We will remember that for every bad aspect of this, there was also good. Remember those things and work to make more good come out of it.
After all, Christ has Died, Christ has Risen, and Christ will come again! That is what Easter is really all about! And we are Easter people!
Tag: Challenge
Day 138-Focus Challenge 1-Comfort
It was suggested to me that the picture I posted of the hay field shrouded in fog, gave one of my readers comfort. It wasn’t actually a writing suggestion, but I decided to run with it anyway. Thank you, Mary Beth Lindig Kendrick.
When I originally posted that picture, I just liked it, and for me the fog suggested a bit of mystery, or even spookiness, yet beauty. My friend suggested to me that for her, it brought forth feelings of comfort. For her it was a sense of home, safety, and a blanketing of comfort. I had never looked at fog quite like that, but I definitely can see where she sees this, and it got me to looking at it a bit differently.
I began to think of the things we associate comfort with, and what comfort means.
By definition: (according to Merriam Webster)
First in the verb, it means: to give strength and hope; or to ease the grief or trouble of.
As a noun, it means: to be a strengthening support or assistance, solace; or a contented well-being; satisfying or enjoyable experience.
I believe we all understand and can agree on what comfort is in the first sense of comforting one in grief or stress, but comfort as a noun, is where we both agree and disagree. Or perhaps, not disagree, but instead, differ as to what it is or does for each of us.
For this discussion, let’s focus on the definition: as a noun. So the question is, what do we associate with comfort?
There is a wide variety of things that we associate with bringing us that sense of safety, solace, cheer, well-being, and all around stress and grief free feeling, if only for a little while? We use things such as food, clothing, places, activities and people to help us achieve that sought after sense of comfort.
Have you ever thought about what makes you feel comfort? Perhaps it is different things at different times or for different reasons?
Food is quite often a big one for many. We eat things that remind us of better and calmer times, when things were happy. Ice cream, chocolate, desserts, and even candy are often turned to because they were many times childhood rewards or treats for special times and occasions. Certain dinners or dishes that mom or grandma used to make can also be sought after as comforts.
I like fried turkey steak, home-made oatmeal cookies, coconut cream pie, and red velvet cake with my grandmothers cooked butter cream icing. I grew up eating turkey steak because we raised turkeys my whole life. Oatmeal cookies remind me of hauling hay with our neighbors. Meta would always make a washtub (I kid you not) full of oatmeal cookies, with tea and lemonade for a break when we came to do their hay. My Oma Birck (grandmother) always made coconut cream pie and red velvet cake for birthdays. They were two of my favorite things she made. Do you have comfort foods? What are they, and why?
A piece of clothing or a blanket may also create good feelings of comfort. Growing up in an old rock house, I was always cold because it held the cold in, so I was usually wrapped up in a blanket or six. Because of this, even in the heat of summer I don’t sleep well unless it is cool enough to be under at least a sheet and preferably a light blanket. But ironically summer clothes are my comfort clothes, because though I love my blankets, I don’t like being bundled tightly in anything especially not heavy clothes for winter. Shorts and beach dresses are my comfort clothes.
The beach, Enchanted Rock State Park, and the waterfall on our creek are some of my comfort places. Before E-Rock was a state park we went there on a regular basis to climb, run around, and play so it is a big childhood fun time memory place for me. When ever my family didn’t have time for big vacation trips which by the time I came along they were few and far between, we would go down to the beach and play around for a few days. The sand, the waves, and the sea shells are the best source of comfort and peace I know. They just seem to reach into my soul and relax me. The waterfall on our home place is a spot filled with family and friend memories throughout my life. We swam, bathed, picnicked, played, fished,and just hung out there. Often it was a good place to escape to think, write, cry and relax alone as well.
And to add to this list there is one place I love and that is Disney World. I have only been twice in my lifetime, but I found it fun and fascinating each time. If I could afford to go often and take my family it would be a comfort place as well, because it represents the best parts of life which is the magic of youth and imagination, where you can just have fun, be silly and ride the same ride five times in a row if you want to, before moving on to the next adventure.
Where are your comfort places? Do you still go to any of them? Why are they special?
Other things that give me comfort, are many of the beauties of the natural world, put there by the Lord for all to observe. Sunsets, sunrises, fields of flowers, large bodies of water, fields of hay, most baby animals, and my children, all inspire comfort and joy in my heart and soul.
Stop for a moment and reflect, what are your comfort things?
On the Wings of Angels 