“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
Philippians 4:8
Years from now, when I think about the impactful memories that stood out during the COVID-19 contagion, the following will certainly come to mind:
- Our pastor running to the Bible—teaching pretty much every day of the week to a virtual audience.
· Lesson: when everything around us changes, we run to the thing that doesn’t change—God’s Word. - Our church staff, shepherding the church-body.
· Lesson: know who God has called you to care for and tend, and meet their needs to the best of your ability. - My family, worshipping together through a live-stream in our jammies (well, at least I was half the time ;)).
· Lesson: stay consistent in attending church—even if it’s virtual, and make the most of your time with your family. The days are long, but the years are short. - ZOOM meetings, the hours spent in virtual fellowships and meetings.
· Lesson: adapt to the circumstances with poise…that is to say, remain composed in chaos. - My quiet times in the morning with a good cup of coffee.
· Lesson: build consistency in meeting with God through His Word—even if you don’t feel like it. - Selling our house in Denton and watching friends and family come around us to help us move to our new home in Aubrey.
· Lesson: express your needs…enlist others’ help…and let them receive a blessing from their sacrifice. - Early morning jogs.
· Lesson: prioritize time to be active…there’s something about a little sweat that helps calm the nerves.
Here’s a challenge:
Take a moment, and with pen and paper:
- Reflect on some of the good times that happened during this stressful time in 2020.
- Write out some of the lessons (like above) that you can take hold of (from the impactful moments).
May God use this shelter-in-place season to grow us all, mature us all, and equip us all for building up His Kingdom…for serving others…and for loving well!
www.staffandstones.com. www.dentonbible.org.