I AM

Have you noticed how nostalgia can thrive in a COVID climate? We long for our lives as they were. So many things have changed and we miss the “sameness” that we remember. Maybe you have also noticed how fear of the future can grow like a weed. When we long for the past and wonder about our future, we can remember who God is.

When we live in the past, with its memories and regrets, it is hard. God is not there. His name is not “I WAS”. When we live in the future, with its imagined problems and fears, it is hard. God is not there. His name is not “I WILL BE”. When you live in the moment He has given you, it is not hard. He is HERE. HIS NAME IS “I AM”.

COVID 19 STARS

F I EVER LABORED UNDER THE ILLUSION THAT I COULD OBEY SCRIPTURE WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, PHILIPPIANS 3:14 PULLED ME UP SHORT. LISTEN TO THIS: “DO ALL THINGS WITHOUT GRUMBLING OR ARGUING”. SO I TRIED IT, AND LASTED MAYBE 30 MINUTES. BUT THERE’S MORE. PAUL GOES ON TO WRITE THIS” THAT YOU MAY BE BLAMELESS AND HARMLESS, CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN A WARPED AND CROOKED GENERATION. THEN YOU WILL SHINE AMONG THEM LIKE STARS IN THE SKY AS YOU HOLD FIRMLY TO THE WORD OF LIFE.” HE SEEMS TO BE SAYING THAT AS WE REFUSE TO COMPLAIN AND ARGUE, WE WILL SHINE IN THIS DARK WORLD LIKE THE STARS, LIT UP WITH THE HOLINESS OF CHRIST. OH, I WANT THAT! DON’T YOU? IN THE MIDST OF COVID 19, WITH SO MANY POSSIBILITIES FOR COMPLAINING, LET’S ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK THIS BEAUTIFUL GRACE IN US.

A VIRAL LULLABY

I love this song, written by Dennis Jernigan, who had a glimpse into the heart of our heavenly Father.
“When the night is falling and the day is done
I can hear You calling, “Come”!
And I will come, while You sing over me.
When the night surrounds me
All my dreams undone
I can hear You calling, “Come!”
And I will come, while You sing over me.
When the night would hide my way
I will listen until I hear You say,
“How I love you, child, I love you!
How I love you child, I love you!
How I love you!”
“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. “(Zephaniah 3:17)
In these viral times, if you should happen to wake in the night, as I sometimes do, remember that God is ready to scoop you up in His arms and sing you back to sleep.

SMELLS GONE VIRAL

What is a virus, really? It’s defined as “a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism”. Scary, isn’t it? COVID19 needs you, or something like you, to survive.
So here is an antidote to COVID 19. Well, maybe not exactly an antidote, but something to lift our spirits. It is May, the peak of the year. Everywhere we look, lush green leaves uncurl in profusion. Lilies of the valley shoot up and sprout their tiny white bells. Lilac trees burst out in extravagant purple. In the orchards, creamy apple blossoms pop open, delicate and ephemeral. Of all the flowers I have known and loved, these three have the most evocative of fragrances. And they are all around us, but not for long. God has arranged it that way.
I propose that this year, we focus on these fragrances that have gone viral in our world for a few short days. They need us to embrace them, to revel in their beauty. Why else would they bloom? So if you have eyes to see, ears to hear and a nose to smell, take a few moments to stop by that lilac bush or that apple tree. Pick a little bouquet of lilies of the valley; sniff and dream. Breathe in the scent of heaven. While you’re enjoying them, remember this verse from 2 Corinthians 2:14:
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.
We who have trusted in Jesus follow Him in His victory, willing servants to Him. As Roman captives wafted incense in the parade of their victorious leaders, we followers of Jesus spread the aroma of Christ to those around us. Yes, it really happens. As we negotiate the challenges of COVID 19, don’t forget that you and I are the fragrance of Christ. He is the reason our lives smell so good! Let’s spread that beautiful, redemptive fragrance around us.

OUR NEW NORMAL

As I opened my eyes early this morning and peered out the window, I noticed something white and feathery floating down. Must be apple blossoms, I thought. But no! A snowstorm in May? It was true. Novembery winds tossed the huge snowflakes around. Down they fell, coating the daffodils and blooming trees in white. Silly New England weather. If you don’t like it, just wait a few minutes. But today, the cold persists, bringing us a chilly forecast for Mother’s Day. A “new normal” for us.
Our nation seems to be holding its breath, waiting for a “new normal” to settle upon us, thanks to COVID19. We look forward to reclaiming the pleasures we so took for granted – ball games, shopping sprees, church gatherings, liberty to travel and enjoy dining out. Yet we wonder. What will the “new normal” look like? What will we actually reclaim, and what might we gain?
Our thoughts reach further into our faith. What is God’s purpose in all of this? For we who have believed in Christ know that He is both loving and sovereign. Will the virus bring us to repentance for lost priorities, back to the basics of loving and serving Him?
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Psalm 42:1,2.
Will we echo David’s heart cry? For there is nothing, NOTHING, that satisfies our hearts but Jesus.

CONSIDER THE DAFFODILS

Yes, you heard me right. Daffodils, not lilies. This is April in New Hampshire, and lilies are yet to come. Did anyone else notice their bright yellow heads dancing valiantly in the snowy wind just last week?
Jesus talked about lilies, not daffodils, in the gospel of Luke. But perhaps there is a commonality between the two for us who are enduring COVID-19. Let’s look at Luke Chapter 12.

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

So what about those daffodils? God takes more trouble to clothe them than Solomon did with his kingly wardrobe, which was surely lavish. Yet Jesus reminds us that the flowers of the field will eventually be mown down and burned. Not so with us, His precious “little flock”! We are destined to be clothed in His Glory. If He lavishes all that beauty on the daffodils, what does He have in store for us, His children? Everything; His kingdom in its entirety. Yes, it is true. We don’t have to worry about tomorrow. After all, Jesus reminds us, anxiety will not add one hour to our lives. It may even subtract a few of them.
So relax! Soak up the love at the heart of Creation. Let your heart dance with the daffodils. You are loved just as you are. When you have Jesus, you have everything. We too can toss our heads valiantly in the face of this storm.

SAFE IN PRISON

Have you felt somewhat imprisoned this week? I know I have. Options narrow and the days stretch ahead with no certain end in sight. We can understand a bit about how the Apostle John, holiest of men, feels when he finds himself a prisoner on a penal colony in the middle of the Aegean. Just for preaching Jesus. But he is not forgotten. Suddenly he hears a voice, a voice like tumbling waters. “I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last.”

Startled, John turns to see who is talking. Wouldn’t you?

Majesty. In the midst of the churches He walks, our risen Lord, in King/Priest apparel. His eyes blaze with fire, seeing everything. His face shines with Glory. Holiness and Power. And John falls at His feet as a dead man. Wouldn’t you?

But then John feels a strong and gentle hand.“It’s OK, John. Don’t be scared. I am the First and the Last; I am He Who Lives. Yes, I WAS DEAD, but look! I am ALIVE FOREVERMORE. And that’s not all, John. Look at these! I have the keys of Death and Hell. So don’t be scared. I have it all under control. You are safe in My keeping.”

So when I hear a voice this week, when Jesus speaks into my life, I will turn to see who is talking. Wouldn’t you? You will be glad that you did. We who trust in Jesus are also safe. “For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, (including COVID-19) shall be able to separate us from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

SHELTER IN PLACE

Our world has changed dramatically. This coming April will forever be etched in our memory, for this is new territory for all of us. As I consider where God is leading His Church through this crisis, the Holy Spirit reminds me of Psalm 91, a favorite of mine. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Him will I trust.” It seems more real than ever to me as I consider the challenges of this hideous and evil virus. What does it mean to “dwell in the secret place of the Most High”? is it reserved for those who seem to be “more spiritual”? Or is it for all of us believers?

We who have trusted in Christ can choose to live every day in this place of safety. Ephesians chapter 2 tells us that God has made us alive in Christ, raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in heaven, even now. The Holy Spirit hovers over us in power just as He did at Creation, the shadow of His wings covering us as we walk through our days. No matter what comes to us in this life, He is in control, and He is good!

This difficult time is a window of opportunity for us. Stripped of so many of our normal distractions, we turn toward Him who is our Life, our Breath. What wonderful new glimpses into His love and power are waiting for us, His Church, as we “Shelter in Place”? Let’s live in the “secret place of the Most High”. Let’s turn our eyes upon Jesus!

VIRAL COMPASSION

The Corona virus – a pandemic – it’s just about everywhere. Most of us were not expecting this one. Life as we know it seems to have come to a screeching, if temporary, halt. We are disrupted. Church and school closings, sporting event cancellations, toilet paper shortages, of all things. Who would have imagined the importance of hunting down a package of this “necessity”? And beyond all of that, fear. For we are all so mortal. And no one is sure about what is coming down the road.

How are we believers called to react? It’s new territory for all of us. a narrowing of options.  Is God calling us to a place of rest and reevaluation of our lives? Is He causing us to step back and consider each person we meet as precious, maintaining 6 feet of distance, of course! Where might this lead us, the Church of Jesus Christ? To a new level of caring for those around us? Doors opened for the love of God to flow through us? Who knows? Perhaps what was meant for evil, God meant for good. He is still in charge; this is my Father’s world, broken though it may be. Might as well get ready for an adventure!