March 12 unfolded just like every other Thursday morning. I dropped Jonah and Vivienne off at school and hurried home to finish cleaning my house in preparation for that morning’s Bible study. A small group of women and I had recently started a study on Lent, and I couldn’t wait for these ladies to arrive with their toddlers in tow.
As we sat down, the talk immediately turned toward the coronavirus. We were all a little concerned about it yet didn’t expect to be significantly affected. That morning, we couldn’t have anticipated how our lives would soon change: major league sports and college playoffs have been cancelled, cities and states are on lockdown, schools are closed until May and some closed indefinitely, government officials are asking us to stay quarantined in our homes for the foreseeable future.
As I type this, the COVID-19 numbers nationwide are hovering around 40,000 and the number of cases in Tennessee are now at 374.
I realize I’m not telling you anything you don’t know. We are all glued to the news, trying to find out what is happening.
Yet among the fear and the unknown, I’m seeing glimpses of a humanity we can all be proud of:
- Celebrity singers are holding concerts from their home studios
- Authors are reading books to children live every night from their living rooms
- Communities are coming together to support small businesses in hopes of keeping them afloat
- People across the nation are worshipping together online every Sunday morning
- Even my children are playing nicely together (for the most part)
It’s really been a beautiful sight to behold.
Now that we are all at home, it feels like God is giving us a chance to reconnect with our families on a deeper level. We are no longer rushing from work to sports practices and music lessons, only connecting in the hallways and at night. Now we are spending whole days and weeks together, and while that may create its own problems (wink wink), it’s also refreshing to sit and talk and play games and enjoy each other’s company.
And because of all these extra hours on our hands, we can spend more time with the Lord. I heard my teen tell her friends over Zoom that she was taking this extended “vacation” and using it to dive deeper into the Word, to pray, and to discover a deeper relationship with Jesus.
So the question becomes: Will we take advantage of our time at home and rest before the Lord? Will we give him the time He deserves? He actually wants us to spend time with Him, but will we?
As the weeks progress, it will be interesting to see how this virus plays out. How it affects people we love. I’m praying that it will be stopped and that the loss of life will be very low. And I’m trusting that God is in control.
Isaiah 41:10 says this: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
And if you are feeling anxious and worried, remember this truth:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Keep praying, friends. And tell me something you’re learning right now.
I love that your teen is using this time to strengthen her relationship with God. Train up a child in the way they should go is obviously something you and your husband are doing. Blessings to you.
Great post! Despite all the challenges of this situation there is a lot we can learn. I’m grateful for the technology that enables us to stay connected and for the way my church has come together to support one another and the wider community. Isaiah 41:10 is one of my favourite verses so I appreciated the reminder!