On OVERLOAD but not looking back

“On overload but okay.” This was the text message I sent to a dear nephew this morning when asked how I was doing. This is probably how a very large number of people in this world are feeling today. There are so many reports, “truths” from this expect and conflicting ones from that one, about almost everything in our lives and how to live our lives. The spiking numbers of COVID 19, school openings, church gatherings, weddings, funerals, the economy, protests and riots, the presidential election and the future of the country.

With so much at risk and in the process of possibly permanent changing, knowing how to live each day is becoming challenging.

For those of the Christian faith, turning to the Bible can help to calm the fears.

1 Peter 2:13-16 Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.

This didn’t answer my concerns! Well, this IS about how we are to live. Our lifestyles, words and actions are to exemplify that living according to the guidelines provided by Jesus, who assumed our sins and paid the price required for sinning, is the way to live. We are to do this while living within the guidelines and laws of the country of residence. Okay. Got that. Obey the laws. If you don’t like the laws, work to get them changed so that you can live with freedom to be a Christian. Okay. Got that.

CDC says to wear a mask in public and to stay 6 feet from others. Okay. Got that. Stay far away from others. Wear the mask. Got that. Don’t gather together in large groups in indoor places. Got that. Whoa! What about church?

This didn’t answer how to deal with gatherings! Each church, at this time, is establishing safety protocols that the leaders of that group thinks are the appropriate safety measures. This is just like the businesses that are opening up. Some indoor places observe ALL guidelines and take the greatest measures to protect those within the buildings. Others take less. Being in a church that takes less or being in a business that takes less still places the decision on the participant or worker. Each person is responsible for how they live, not responsible for how others live. Still, should we be present in a church with fewer protocols in place. This is a hard question and each person will have to consider this individually since we do live in an age of technology and virtual meetings. Each has to consider if this should be interpreted as a physical only or if virtual during a pandemic is still living within the Christian realm.

Hebrews 10:24 -25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

This didn’t answer my questions! No, this was the beginning of answers. The answers are complex and individual according to interpretations and situations. The answer is not universal to all cases, all bodies of believers, and all regional environments. Turn to the leaders of the church to which you are connected but, first and most importantly, pray for sincere wisdom and discernment on a personal level. The physical health, situation and needs of each member of every church is not the same. This verse may have been referring to the law of the church but we can learn and apply forward also.

James 4: 11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers.[d] The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

This didn’t give me the answers! This is hard! One piece of the puzzle together with the other pieces will eventually make a whole picture. The confusion, the struggles are real. “I don’t want to get this terrible disease! I don’t want to give this terrible disease to others.” “It’s not that bad.” “It’s much worse than any we have ever seen.” “Trust the Lord to protect you.” “Follow the laws of the land and do what is advised.” “Love your neighbor as yourself and follow all guidelines.” “Stop worrying! God will protect you and your family.”

Philippians 4:6-9 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

This didn’t help me in this pandemic! One more piece of the puzzle is here and it is pretty important. Christians rely on the promise that the peace of God comes from practicing their beliefs. This doesn’t mean that there won’t be challenges, hard time, difficult decisions, divisions from differing beliefs, and judgment from others for our practices. People will make mistakes in judgement. They will not always be respectful of your beliefs and decisions. This doesn’t mean they are “bad” people and have evil intent.

In the first foundational book of the Bible, the stories include different events in Lot’s life. In one story, angels urgently warned this man to take his family and flee from impeding danger that would bring devastating destruction to Lot’s city of residence. They told him to flee immediately and not even look back.

Here is the thing: we want our lives to return to the normalcy with which we are familiar. Some of us are in turmoil because nothing is the same and we don’t know which way to turn and what to do. We don’t want our lives changed; we want what we knew six months ago back. Some are simply living as they did during that time, looking back at the way it was. Others know we need to move on, adjust, but we simply don’t know what to do in many different situations.

One of the lessons in the Lot saga was during his exodus from the home and life his family had known comes as they started the journey. His wife looked back. She may have been mourning that so many of her friends and neighbors would be left there; she might never see them again. They may have swapped recipes, helped each other with children, planted gardens together or rested in the cool evenings together in fellowship and relaxation. They may have bonded, were friends. She was on the road with Lot but she looked back. Angels had told them to flee and not look back, but one last look wouldn’t hurt as she said goodbye to the only life she had known. She may have been a delightful woman who loved her neighbors but she looked back one last time.

Genesis 19: 23 By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land. 26 But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

Please God! Help me! Theirs is a pretty dramatic story. By not following the guidelines we are facing--in the here and now---doesn’t mean you will “turn into a pillar of salt” or die. It does means that the spread will continue and some will die. The whole thing is quite complex; that is a given. The economy desperately needs to move into a recovery stage; children need to continue their education and home schooling is simply not possible for some; the supply and demand for food and other essentials is causing price hikes while, at the same time, more and more people are losing jobs/businesses/facing evictions.

Ours is a pretty dramatic story also. Of course, we have seen changes every year of our lives. We have dealt with changes throughout our lives. Technology has increased. We have a space station somewhere out up in the sky. Air travel became normal and not just for the privileged. Prosperity had reached a level that was only dreamed of fifty years ago and the employment level was up there. Changes happened every year. One at a time. There were not, however, mega-doses of changes at such a level that we that we weren’t able to take them in or adapt to the changes.

Here we are. This is today. Don’t look back. We have the opportunity to envision a new future and we can’t implement a new future by living in the past.

Pray incessantly. Seek answers through the Bible. Love yourself and love your neighbor the same way you love yourself. Take the options that seem to best suit your circumstances and understand that each person’s situation may different.

Deuteronomy 6: 5-7 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Matthew 22: 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”