Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 31/May/2020]

They say that a week is a long time in politics. The way things are moving with the coronavirus, even a day seems to be a long time. Life is going on, but as Dr Spock said to Captain Kirk, ‘not as we know it’. If there was ever a time to pray for our leaders, now would be it.

There is no shortage of news about the virus. At a time like this, with the fear about the virus so widespread, people are less likely to think critically about the information they get and are more likely to take things at face value. The problem is that there is no filter for some of the information coming through and weird and wacky ways to deal with the virus abound. Some of them are humorous and good for a laugh, others are misleading and could be harmful if followed. Some of the people giving the erroneous advice are actually well meaning, some are reckless, others are mischievous.

I have sometimes wondered why the apostles were very upset about false teachers in the church. They likened them to wolves in sheep’s clothing and were very harsh in some of their pronouncements about them. The current climate makes it easier for me to understand. These people were peddling what could be seen as ‘fake news’ to people who desperately needed to hear the truth.

This is not the time for fake news. People need to have clear guidance. They need to trust what is being said about this virus and the guidance on what to do to avoid or mitigate its effects. The question is where to find the truth. There is no shortage of sources, but which one can we trust? We need wisdom and James 1 verse 5 states that “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all, without finding fault and it will be given to you“.

Though you may not be aware of His presence, God is with us. He has promised never to leave us, nor forsake us. We are confused about things that are happening –let us ask him for wisdom. We are unsettled about how things have changed –let us ask for his peace.

If it seems a bit dark and gloomy, well, then it is time to let our lights shine. Just in case you think that’s a tall order, this bit from the UCB Word for today might help remind you of who is actually doing the heavy lifting …

“God is either the object of your trust or just a part-time helper you call on when you can’t handle things on your own. It’s reminiscent of the elephant and the mouse that walked over a bridge. When they got to the other side, the mouse said, ‘Man, we really shook that bridge!’ When you begin to see God as playing the major role and you the minor one, you’ll begin to find the peace which has eluded you for so long.”

I believe that ‘this difficult time will come to pass’, but while we are going through it, let’s ask God what he would have us learn, let’s find out what he would have us say and do, to bring comfort, hope and relief to others.
Have a blessed week.

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