Exhausted, Overwhelmed and Anxious? 5 Tips to Living at Peace

As the days of isolation roll on during this time of Covid-19, I find that working from home has both a relaxing and yet, draining effect.  I have actively been seeking ways to be supportive of youth pastors and local youth and young adult leaders and trying to give ideas on how ministry can be done during this crisis to lots of pastors, and just realized this morning...I'm exhausted.

And as I listen to people going through all that we are going through right now from all different perspectives, with all sorts of circumstances, many way worse than mine, I can hear exhaustion in their voice and on the Zoom calls I've been on, I can see anxiety on many faces.  And day after day of that type of drain can quickly lead someone to feeling overwhelmed...especially in light of the 24 hour news cycle which keeps it ever before our eyes.  So how do we deal?  How do we take care of ourselves so that we can continue to be useful to others?

I think first, we have to return to our faith.  I know some of you may have been away from your faith for awhile and may even have a running anger fest at God, but maybe now is the time to let that go.

Recognize that faith is not faith without the possibility of doubt.  To have faith in anything is not to remove all doubts, but to believe that there is enough evidence to believe in and then grow it from there.  For with faith, come a host of promises from God that will help you through the crisis at hand.

First, understand that Jesus never said that this life would be pain free and a smooth ride for the believer.  In fact, he said just the opposite.  In John 16:33 Jesus was speaking and he told His disciples this:  I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble. (emphasis mine) But take heart!  I have over come the world."

Even before He tells us about the trouble, He informs us that in Him we can have peace.  Suddenly, with the eyes of faith, I can gain a different perspective on the grim outlook.  I can let go of some of the anxiety and I can surrender the feelings of being overwhelmed by recognizing that the arrival of the Coronavirus and Covid-19, did not shock God off the throne.  It didn't take Him by surprise.

Did He cause it?  No.  I believe it was caused by living in a sinful world and the fact that the devil is looking to find anyway he can to sweep millions into an early grave.  Can God use it for His ultimate good?  I believe He already is!

In my own life, it is amazing how much more focused I've gotten on the things in life that really matter.  My family.  The people I serve. Relationships.  And those things that I've been leaning on to keep me propped up, distracted and unfocused suddenly aren't that important anymore.  It's surprising how my priorities are coming back into focus!  And my realization of how much I (we) truly need God.  So I would say a return to faith in God and a settling into His promises can help alleviate the exhaustion, anxiety and feeling overwhelmed.  Here's a few more promises before we move on.

Psa. 55:22 Give your burdens to the LORD,

and he will take care of you.
He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.  NLT

Or how about this one.
1Pet. 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. NLT

The NIV even renders 1Peter 5:7 as: Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Secondly, I would say, take this time to catch up on your sleep.  I didn't realize how sleep-deprived I was until I started staying home and suddenly began getting more hours of sleep per night.  Just getting good sleep can help you begin to relax a little more.  As we adjust to this "new normal" it is easy to begin staying up later, binge watching TV and missing sleep.

Thirdly, establish a new routine so that you aren't just totally burning the hours on Facebook or Instagram or the news channels.  Don't stay in your PJ's all day.  Getting up and getting ready for the day can actually help you feel more productive and contribute to an overall feeling of well-being.  Choose one or two things that you want to try to accomplish by days end.  Organizing a room.  Cleaning out a closet.  Catching up on your around the house to-do list.  Anything that will call on your concentration on something besides the Coronavirus will help you begin to help you regain mental health ground.  And if you feel productive, you are less likely to slide into a depression.

Fourthly, Unplug for a given amount of time each day.  You don't have to be glued to the news cycle 24-7.  As a matter of fact, I can tell you that about 95% of it will be bad.  And right now...it will be ...are you ready for this...very bad.  More deaths.  New outbreaks.  More shortages.  More political posturing.  More anger.  More frustration.  More anxiety over what else the "experts" are predicting is to come.  And the fact is, all it does is keep invoking your "fight or flight" mechanism and dumps large quantities of adrenalin into your system and simply causes your fear factor to rise.

Unplug from social media as well. Constantly checking your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or whatever feeds, will only show more of the same you have on the news.  I'm not saying to never check them, but I am saying take some hours each day and unplug from it all to allow your anxiety and adrenaline levels to fall.  Keeping them on a knife edge all the time will only lead to exhaustion and the lowering of your body's immune system.

Here's a few questions to consider:  Are you already doing what you can do to keep you and your family safe?  Will knowing the absolute latest as soon as it hits keep you any safer?  If you are already doing everything you know, then go ahead and unplug and do something productive and let your energies be channeled towards that.  Let your focus be absorbed by that and you will find your anxiety levels beginning to drop.

And last...seek to get in some form of exercise every day.  If you have a nearby park and can still get outdoors,  try to get a walk in-of course, keeping social distancing rules in play, if not, maybe use the old treadmill and exercise equipment you've had rotting in a room for a while.  But move your body some every day.  This will boost your immune system, and help get rid of the excess adrenaline your body has been pumping out, and leave you more relaxed and able to sleep better.

Let me leave you with this: Quite a few years back, I watched a Mark Lowry video as he shared his "favorite verse."  He then quoted. "And it came to pass..."  He stopped and smiled...then continued.  "Do you get it?  It didn't come to stay!  It came to pass."  So with a nod to Mark, here is my take on his "favorite verse".

Whatever you are facing today--just know that it will pass. Corona Virus...As hard as it is to believe...It will pass! On the flip side...are you having a great day? Enjoy it! It will pass. Facing tough stuff? Endure it. It will pass. It came...to pass.

God never leaves us stuck. Time moves on and it will pass. Focus on that and these little tips and you can come into a "new normal" soon.  And 

The Wisdom of Worship

Feeling unsettled no matter how much you binge watch or play video games?  Always seem to have that dark sense of foreboding hanging over you when you stop focusing on anything?  Let me take you on a journey back in time, in light of this current coronavirus pandemic, to look at a story in Scripture that I think may help give you a much more peaceful outlook.  So…to the story.

In the early morning light, in the desert of Tekoa, a strange and fascinating scene was unfolding before the eyes of the soldiers as they stared at the oncoming army.  Usually by this time, someone would have sounded the command to attack, but they all stood transfixed in their ranks, listening to the unmistakeable sound of- a choir?  What would a choir be doing out on the battlefield?   Before their question could be answered, suddenly there came warriors out of nowhere.  Fierce. Big. Determined.  With a single slash of a blade, 10 men would fall.  Panic.  Run for your life.  Kill or be killed.  And the once formidable army became a terror-filled, “every-man-for-himself” retreat.

In the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 20, a fascinating story is recorded that every Christian should acquaint themselves with.   On different boards and committees, we often worry about what type of precedent a given vote might set.  This story contains a number of key decisions that I think would serve as precedents for the modern Christian.  So let me share with you 2 Chronicles 20 beginning with verse 1.  I’ve chosen to use the New Living Translation for it’s easy readability.

1After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites^a declared war on Jehoshaphat. ²Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom^a is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea.^bThey are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.)

This was no run-of-the-mill army. These were long time enemies that wanted to settle old scores. These were the children of Esau wanting to do in the children of Jacob, now named Israel.   In fact, they wanted nothing less than to wipe the Israelites right off the map.  And now they had joined forces with other countries around them and were descending, even now to leave a path of death and destruction in their wake.  And word reaches Jehosphaphat, and the message is very clear…”YOU are a DEAD MAN Big J!”

Oh, great!  What a day-brightener.   Ever have one of those kind of days?  You’re doing fine until someone comes and says,  “There are three known cases of the Coronavirus that have been identified to have been in the same building you were in.”  Or “You’re  Corvid-19 test came back positive.” Or it could be more along the lines of general life, “You owe $4,000 more in taxes.”  Or “There’s been a terrible accident…”

No matter how it comes, bad news seems to always catch us off guard.  It causes our knees to go weak, our stomach to develop a pit of anxiety, and our mind to start racing.  We immediately start trying to… what?  Figure out what we are going to do.   We start checking our savings accounts, calling to see if we can get our credit limit extended, or looking for the name of the best doctor available.  Anything we can do to help us out of the bind.  And most of us won’t stop until we have arrived at some form of a solution.  But notice what Jehoshaphat did.

Precedent # 1.  v.3Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the LORD for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. Jehoshaphat was human.  He developed the pit in the bottom of his stomach.  But his reaction was far different than many of ours would be.  He begged the LORD for guidance, and then proclaimed a fast, so they could have clear minds to hear whatever God was saying.  In short, he took his problem to the Lord in prayer.  He didn’t just complain about what a difficult situation he was in and then whiningly hope that others would pray for him or that it would somehow work out.  He went directly to the Throne, himself.  Immediately.

 v.4 ⁴ So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the LORD’s help.

2Chr. 20:5      Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the LORD. ⁶ He prayed, “O LORD, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you!

Notice his approach. (He first acknowledges God’s greatness.  He says, “I know that you can do anything.)  

 v. ⁷ O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? ⁸ Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name. ⁹ They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war,^a plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’

(He refers back to a prior agreement that God had already made with His people.  He claims a promise, as it were.)

  2Chr. 20:10   “And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them. ¹¹ Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance. ¹² O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. (He acknowledges that he has neither the resources nor the strength to fight the battle.) We do not know what to do, (and here’s the kicker) but we are looking to you for help.”  

The New International Version says: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” Not focused tightly on the problem, but on God.   

Precedent #2.  They choose to wait.  They have made their request known to God, and now they wait and trust that God will do what He has promised.  Jehoshaphat knew that no matter what befell he and his people, if they would simply turn and seek the Lord, God would take care of things.  It takes humbling oneself, acknowledging that you have neither the answer or the direction, but enough faith to know that if you will but wait, God will deliver on his Word.  Not only the leader, but his entire people stood there before the Lord.

Nothing is needed more in the Church right now, than for Christians to stand humbly before the Lord.  No pretense.  No politics.  No power plays.  Just prayer and faith-filled hearts that He will provide.  When we wait, He answers.  Let’s go back to the story.

v. 13 As all the men of Judah stood before the LORD with their little ones, wives, and children, ¹⁴ the Spirit of the LORD came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.

V15   He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!”

How do you respond to a message like that?  Wouldn’t it be great in the face of this virus and life’s uncertainty for the Lord to say, “Stand still and watch the Lord’s victory.”  I believe He is.  

But wait, Pastor Don…what was the point of going out if they didn’t need to fight?  What is the point of  taking up their positions and then standing still?

In the midst of the waiting, it doesn’t mean that we don’t have to do anything.  We need to continue to be obedient to what God has asked of us.  He has asked us to bring courage to those around us, and in the going out, or in this case, the staying home yet with peace and sharing that, that may lead others to find peace as well.  We practice common sense and precautions, yes, but it also means that we acknowledge we don’t have the resources, the knowledge, the wisdom, nor anything else to make a difference in the outcome.  We are trusting and waiting on God.  And in the waiting, notice how Jehoshaphat and his people respond.

Precedent #3.  They worship.  v.18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the LORD. ¹⁹ Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.  

This wasn’t just half-hearted worship while wondering how the roast in the oven was doing.  This was full-blown, “we-have-an-answer-from-God-so-get-up-and-shout” type worship.  It was a celebration-type of worship-(of course I’m sure they didn’t use drums-ha).  But notice something here.  This celebration of worship happened before God had even delivered them. 

They got peace in their hearts on the issue and went ahead and rejoiced because they knew He would do what He promised.  They were joyous because they knew that no matter how scary the problem had seemed a few minutes ago, that whole picture just changed when God came on the scene.  Those Moabites and Ammonites and Meunites were a mighty big force, but when God walks in, their party’s over!

No matter how dark your picture looks, no matter how scary, or hopeless, or bleak, when God gives you an answer, it’s time to celebrate, because we know that He’s going to do exactly what He says.  Don’t sit there whimpering, “Oh, I hope it works out.  Oh, I hope He does what He promised.”   If you have prayed, if you have waited, if you have gotten an answer, from the wealth of promises in scripture, or from the Holy Spirit impressing you, then go ahead and throw a worship party. He’ll do what He promises when you can hold on by faith.

When you can learn that type of spiritual walk, the Holy Spirit will empower you to be a mighty, dynamic and effective witness for His cause. People will take note of the life you live.  Jesus wants to empower us to do His work.  He wants to make us powerful witnesses.  When you and I can learn to wait for His empowerment, trusting that He will make good on His promises,  great things will always happen.  Back to 2 Chron.

20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”  21After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:

“Give thanks to the LORD;

his faithful love endures forever!”

Now this just blows my mind.  The king consults the people and they all agree that the best thing they can do is put the choir out in front of the army.   They want to show that they are not worried about the Lord keeping His promise.   And some of the choir boys probably said, “Yeah, that’s easy for you to say”, but the very fact that they went out first speaks of their confidence in the saving power of the Lord.  They saw wisdom in worshipping.  They realized that their worship brought their salvation.  

Can you imagine the enemy army.  They look up through the clear desert air and see. . .a choir?  

“That can’t be a choir.   It’s a mirage- just a vision.  Fairly realistic though, because I can hear music too.   We been out here too long!”

 22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the LORD caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. ²³ The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other. ²⁴ So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.

Precedent #4: They watched the Lord’s deliverance.

When God grants victory, He truly grants victory.  Did you know that in light of your own salvation, that’s all you can do?  Pray, wait, worship and watch.  Pray for forgiveness and seek deliverance from sin.  Wait as the Lord works in you to will and to do His good pleasure, worship Him for His goodness, His mercy and love, and watch Him take you to heights that have been unattainable to you.

Whenever you face trials of every kind, know you can find peace through His chosen route.  Pray for deliverance, wait, trusting in Him, worship Him, watch His mighty deliverance.   

In our current crisis, we have received the bad news. There is a new plague among us! We can panic and freak out, or we can practice the precautions we do know and turn our eyes towards God.  Are we praying?  And in the current crisis, there is nothing we can do but wait…it has been mandated.  But are you just waiting it out or waiting on God?  

What you do next will determine the amount of peace you experience.  Why not Worship?  I’m convinced if we would follow Jehoshaphat’s example, God would be able to bring about victory after victory in our life. Fears would melt away.  Doubts would flee.  Long-term rivalries would end, and forgiveness would begin to flow where once only grudges resided.  And yes, your trust in God would grow exponentially.  Worship takes us out of the present and transports us to the throne of Grace.  No matter what the circumstances, there is wisdom in worshipping God.   

There is no wiser course we can set but to worship.  Not  ho-hum worship, but worship that lifts the soul heavenward.  Worship that we participate in that allows us to experience God’s forgiveness, acceptance, love and yes, His peace.   Worship that has at its very core, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Worship that allows our hearts to dance with the joy of His victory.  And when you participate in that kind of worship, it will be said of you, as it was of the Apostles in Acts 3:13,  that “these men had been with Jesus.”

If we are worshipping, we are already demonstrating that we believe His deliverance is coming. Watch for His deliverance. It may not be in the form that we imagine…because God seldom does the expected.  It may not even be in the form of protecting us from the Coronavirus or from dying.  Even in the face of death, I can have peace knowing that God will bring about our ultimate deliverance!

Let’s finish our story.   25  King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing,^a and other valuables—more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all! ²⁶ On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing,^a which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the LORD there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.

27   Then all the men returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, overjoyed that the LORD had given them victory over their enemies. ²⁸ They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets, and they proceeded to the Temple of the LORD.

29   When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the LORD himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them. ³⁰ So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side. 

When you pray, wait, worship and watch, the Lord brings to you blessings.  And the most important blessing is the ability to have peace when everyone else is freaking out.  Had Jehoshaphat stopped with the collection of the plunder, he would have missed the greatest blessing of all.  But because he saw Wisdom in Worship, God granted he and his country the greatest blessing, peace on every side.   

And friend, if you’ll put into practice God’s way, seeing the wisdom of worship no matter how dark or scary your circumstances may seem, that’s exactly what He will give you.  I’m praying that peace for you this day!

Will You Trust Me...Even Here?

The disciples were in a storm...a bad one. So bad that they felt they were going to drown, and despaired of life itself. Sound familiar? Feel like you're going to drown in the mass hysteria of the Covid-19 Pandemic? Getting so nervous and panicky you are despairing of life itself? Feel like "we're going in and this is it"? Many are despairing, but you don't have to. Read on.

Jesus had been teaching all day and He was exhausted! So exhausted that He told the disciples to push off and head across the Sea of Galilee. Let's pick up the whole story in Mark. It happens in 6 short verses. Mark 4:35-41 (New Living Translation)

Mark 4:35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

Mark 4:38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

Mark 4:39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

These people had seen Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, turn water into wine...in short...they had seen Him do the impossible! But when the storm came up, their faith went down. THEY FORGOT HE WAS IN THE BOAT WITH THEM!!! (Have you?)

And then, when they did remember, they asked Him an almost insane question! Look back at verse 38..."Teacher...Don't you care if we drown?" Of course He cared! These guys were a vital part of His mission to save the world! They would be the ones spreading the message! (And so are YOU!)

And then Jesus woke up. He didn't ream them out. He didn't scold them. He simply rebuked the wind and the waves...He said "Be Still!" and they were! Then He asked them a question. It's the same question I believe He is asking us even now. "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

Put another way, I think this is the question that we, as Christians, have to answer every day. See, I believe that things come along to help us realize that we don't have the control we would like to think that we have. The fact is, we never really have had control of anything... except our choices.

Life happens fast, and as a Christian we are constantly having to re-examine where we stand with Christ...and the question is always there. It's His way of re-focusing us. Of calling us back to the basics and helping us reassess where we truly stand in our walk with Him.

And now, in this time of crisis, it is even more important that we both face, and daily answer, the question that Christ puts before us. The question: Will you trust ME...even here?

Oh wait, Pastor Don...He could sleep because He was God. I mean...He KNEW He wasn't going down. He had all of the power on earth. I would beg to differ. If He were all about saving His own life, He never would have gone to the cross. It wasn't death He was thinking about.

In fact, one of my favorite Christian authors, Ellen White, in her book The Desire of Ages, paints the scene a little better for us.

When Jesus was awakened to meet the storm, He was in perfect peace. There was no trace of fear in word or look, for no fear was in His heart. But He rested not in the possession of almighty power. It was not as the “Master of earth and sea and sky” that He reposed in quiet. That power He had laid down, and He says, “I can of Mine own self do nothing.” John 5:30. He trusted in the Father’s might. It was in faith—faith in God’s love and care—that Jesus rested, and the power of that word which stilled the storm was the power of God. {DA 336.1}

So it isn't in our own power that we are expected to meet this thing. It is in faith--faith in God's love and care--that we can rest as well. And we can look up as we hear His question, "Will you trust Me even here?" And though our answer may at first be feeble, we can choose, by faith to answer yes. And we can continue to answer yes until every time it is asked of us, whether in good times or in crisis, we can respond with a resounding yes. That's what is called the Faith Walk.

By faith I say YES...and God leads me one more step. Then asks again, "Will you trust Me even here?" And I choose, again, to say YES! And He leads me another step. I don't have to know every step from beginning to end. If I hold on by faith, He will continue to walk me, with both peace and confidence, through whatever the world or the devil may throw at me.

Will it be trying? Yes! Faith destroying? It doesn't have to be!  So hold on my friends and trust!

To hold on is not so much about bravery or courage, but a learned response from a long obedience in the same direction. It’s about being confident in the One who has called you.
· Hold on to your faith.
· Hold on to your care for one another
· Hold on to Jesus.

Every day Jesus asks you the same question: Will you trust Me even here? And your answer is?

Don't Forget Compassion!

Have you noticed that the worst part of this coronavirus thing is the mental game. That's where the most agony lies, because let’s be honest…aside from not being able to find toilet paper on the shelves, for most of us, technically our lives haven’t actually been changed a whole lot.  Sure, our routines are changing daily from what we would “normally” do.  Normally, we wouldn’t be glued to a 24-hour news cycle while wringing our hands in anxious dread and hoping and praying that we don’t get the Covid-19 virus.

Normally, we don’t give a second thought to jumping in the car and heading to a place where hundreds or even thousands of people are gathered; a movie theater, a ball game, or the mall.  Now we have fewer options to choose from, amid the growing cry of social distancing.  And the more isolated we become, the more we are glued to our devices for news and more news—all bad—as we simply “wait it out.”

But in reality…most of us are still healthy.  Still have homes.  Still have family that love us.  Still have jobs.  That hasn’t changed for most of us…yet we are already living as if it had.  We are already acting like animals with a survival of the fittest mentality, making sure that we are the ones with the most stock-piled to last the longest.

Am I saying that we should act as if everything is fine?  No.  We should be cautious and do our due diligence.  But we have to guard the very epicenter of our souls if we are to come through this thing with our humanity intact, as well as our own mental health.

The wisest man who ever lived said this back in the day.  

NIV Prov. 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. 

The New Living Translation even says it better.

Prov. 4:23    Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Great, Pastor Don…so what exactly does that mean?  It means that, as a human being, your life and actions will always be determined by what you harbor in your heart.

If you allow your heart to grow fearful, and you harbor anxiety and worry as a full-time companion, your ability to be totally human will begin to diminish, and acting towards others with graciousness and love will become extremely difficult.  

In fact, if you allow fear to dwell, you will succumb to a survival of the fittest mentality and you will do things that you currently despise in others.  When selfishness rules the day,  the heart shrivels to a hard callous, as the lives of others grow cheaper in comparison to the big “I”.  Without saying it, our lives broadcast the message, “You are not nearly so important as I, and I will do everything I can to make sure that I survive, even if you don’t!”

If you are a Christian, then recognize that this is the very mindset that Christ calls you away from…not just when times are easy and because you have compassion to spare, but precisely when times get difficult and the rest of the world has swept the shelves bare of everything to give them the best chance of survival.  Recognize that Christ is calling you to demonstrate the difference, not because it’s easy, but because it is hard and in fact, is counter-intuitive to what the world is doing. I believe it was for times like the ones we find ourselves living in that he said, in John 13:35 “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”

There are some who would call that insane.  There are others who will sit up and take notice of the difference.  Christians through the ages have always waded into the mire to be difference makers.  To rescue others.  To lift up the discouraged.  To be the hands and feet of Jesus to a world that is dying without Him.  Not because it was easy, but because it was a hard thing, yet the right thing, to do.  It is the hard thing…but it is always the thing that makes us more human, more in the image of the God we claimed to be created by.

Again, I’m not saying be stupid. Be cautious, take precautions…but don’t lose your compassion.  Don’t allow fear to shrivel your heart.  Instead recognize that we can live this way because we have a different focus.  A different perspective.  We understand that this world is not all there is.  We know that we are just traveling through and that one day, sooner or later, we will all die here.  It all ends the same here, no matter the cause.  We die.  Car accidents, plane crashes, homicide, suicide, war casualty, heart attack, stroke, cancer or corona virus.  We can’t outrun death forever.  But even as we face death, we recognize that death simply doesn’t have the final word.  It’s only a temporary stop on the way to eternity.  

Our hope is not in this world and in the mess we have here.  Our hope is in a person, Jesus, and He is of another world and because of this fact, we recognize that it is far more important to be eternally safe than it is to be physically safe here.  So instead, we set our sights on a better world.  A better kingdom free of the junk we deal with down here.  

The book of Revelation describes it for us: Rev. 21:1   Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. ² And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Rev. 21:3   I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.^a 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Rev. 21:5   And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

That’s what makes a difference in how I can live through the uncertainty of the next few weeks.  I’m not looking to just survive…but to thrive…for eternity.  I write this, not as a young, healthy, not-much-to-worry-about-from-this-virus person, but as one who has been identified as a high-risk, potential casualty should I contract it.  And yes, I’m taking the prescribed precautions, but I will not let a virus rob me of my humanity.  I will seek to reach out, even if it is from my keyboard to your screen.  I will seek to encourage you.  I will continue to pray for you. And I will seek to remind you that this world is not our home.  And I hope you do the same for me.

Heb. 12:1,2    Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.^a Because of the joy^b awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Called to be Faithful...not Successful!

I know it's been a minute since I've posted on this blog, but lately the stirrings to write have started welling up once again.  Mostly because in the spring I start to ponder life all over again.

Every few years, I buy a new version of the Bible and take 2 or 3 years to read through it carefully.  This last time, I chose, instead of an actual translation, Jack Blanco’s paraphrase, The Clear Word Bible.  I’ve gathered some great devotional insight into some passages by considering his take on things.  As I read, I will often compare the current version I’m reading to the KJV, the NIV, the NASB and the NLT, just to get a fuller understanding of the passage...and sometimes, if a passage seems to hinge on a word, I’ll go back to the Hebrew or Greek Dictionaries.

Image source: Biblical Authorship

So I’ve been studying in the book of Zechariah lately.  I know...not one that we usually read, but since I’m going straight through it, that’s where I find myself, and in Zechariah 4, we find a passage that many of us have quoted as a memory verse for years.  It is in the context of God asking Zerubbabel, who was governor of Judah right after the first of the Babylonian exiles had been freed to go home, to rebuild the Temple.  There were all sorts of challenges.  The task was enormous, since all of the old Temple rubble had to be cleared first.  The giant stones that Solomon had placed centuries before were still lying about, as well as all the stuff the Babylonians didn’t take when they conquered.  

And no one had money to pay for the rebuilding.  They were freshly returned slaves trying to start life over again.  They were busy rebuilding their lives as they contracted their own houses.  They hadn’t even planted or harvested any crops yet and the Lord is now asking them to rebuild the Temple.  How was this going to happen?   And the Lord sends Zechariah a series of visions to encourage them.  In the 5th vision, recorded in the 4th chapter of Zechariah, we come to our famous passage that answers the questions.  First, from the New Living Translation. Note especially verses 6 and 7.

And I see two olive trees, one on each side of the bowl.” 4 Then I asked the angel, “What are these, my lord? What do they mean?”

Zech. 4:5    “Don’t you know?” the angel asked. 

“No, my lord,” I replied.

Zech. 4:6    Then he said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 7 Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’”  NLT

Now from The Clear Word.

Zach 4:6. Then he explained, “These are the symbols of the work and power of the Holy Spirit.  So this is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit will the work be done.’

4:7 What is this great mountain standing in Zerubbabel’s way?  It’s nothing!  It will melt at the presence of the Lord and flatten out and become a plain.  All the things that Zerubbabel and his people are worried about will disappear as they push ahead with the work.  They will rebuild the temple and at the laying of the last stone they will shout, ‘Praise the Lord! Blessings on His temple!’  

“Ok nice, Pastor, but what does that have to do with me?”  Thanks for asking.

First - when the Lord asks something of us, He isn’t asking that we accomplish it.  He’s only asking that we be faithful and obedient to the task He's calling us to.  It isn’t by my strength that it will be accomplished.  It isn’t by gathering a large amount of people and more “lifting power” that things happen.  It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that anything gets accomplished.  

So recognize that God isn’t asking you to be successful...only faithful to the task He has assigned.  

And secondly,  that mountain standing in your way?  “It’s nothing!  It will melt at the presence of the Lord and flatten out and become a plain.”  But it won’t flatten at the presence of you or me.  It will stay a mountain.  It isn’t by might, or power...but by His Spirit that it flattens.

And if we are working with His Spirit, all the things we worry about will disappear as we push ahead with what God has asked us to do.  And when all is said and done...we can’t/won't be able to take the credit.  We can only be thankful that we had a small part to play as we participated with the Lord and with that realization we can shout “Praise the Lord! He has done great things!"

Now...about that mountain you are facing...